The Adoption
by Kctimes2
Summary: After a year of being Rangers, Kim got pregnant. Together, Tommy and Kim decided to place their son for adoption. They are unaware their son grows up to be the 18th Head of the Shiba Clan. This is a story of how the three reunite. AU episodes of 'Power Rangers: Samurai' will be in this story.
1. Chapter 1- The Adoption

**A/N: **So, I'm going to keep playing around with Tommy and Kim being Jayden's parents. Here's one story I thought of. I should finish this one in a timely manner, unlike some of my other stories.

**Summary: **Tommy and Kim give their child up for adoption with the help of Zordon. Unknowingly, their son grows up to be the 18th Head of the Shiba Clan. This is the story of how they become reunited. For the most part, this story is in canon.

**Xxxxx**

**The Adoption**

* * *

**Chapter One- The Adoption**

**November 1994**  
**Command Center-Medical Bay **  
**Angel Grove, CA**

When a newborn comes into the world, the cries are usually screeching, glass shattering even.

At this moment, the newborn's noises were quickly turned into soft, even melodic coos. His mother's singing calmed him down immensely, and he concentrated on his mother's soothing voice She was singing the classic song, 'Hush Little Baby', to quiet him down.

_Hush little baby, don't say a word_

_Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird_

_And if that mockingbird don't sing_

_Mama's going to buy you a diamond ring_

_And if that diamond ring turns brass_

_Mama's going to buy you a looking glass_

She continued her singing, unaware the father of her child watched from the entrance to this hidden chamber. Fatherly pride was already in his eyes, as he looked at his newborn son. He loved him so much and would give his life for his, even though he was born just a few hours ago. Then, his chocolate, brown eyes traveled to the mother., who was his girlfriend God knew he loved her with every fiber of his being. This was _his_ family.

For now..

His heart became heavy, as he fully stepped into the room. He gave a soft kiss to the mother's head, and he gave a soft kiss to his son's temple.

_And if that dog named Rover won't bark_

_Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart_

He took over. The mother surprisingly looked at him, and she sadly smiled. The tears already clouded her eyes, and they seemed to transfer to the father. As they finished the song for their son, the words barely seemed to come out over their overwhelming sobs.

_And if... that, that, horse and-and, cart_  
_fall, fall, down_  
_You'll still be the sweet-sweetest little ba-ba-baby in town_

_Our_ baby in town, they both thought.

"Tell me this is the right thing," she demanded, as she stared into her son's jewel colored eyes. Her son soon grasped her index finger, and he held on tightly, as he drifted off to la-la land. "Maybe, maybe, we can do this. We can raise a child while still in high school. A lot of mothers have done it."

"We can't," her boyfriend responded, although, he wished they could. "We can't do this, and you know that."

"Can we at least try?"

"How would we explain where our son came from," he asked, reminding her they kept this a secret for eight months. Knowing they would receive backlash from their parents, friends, teachers, and other entities, they knew they had to keep this between them.

"We tell them the truth. Make them understand that we are in love, and we knew what we were doing. And as a result of us expressing our love, we had a son—a beautiful, strong and healthy son," she almost, desperately proposed to him, and she hoped that he would comply. This was their son. They created him, and he was special to to the both of them already.

He heavily sighed, and he looked at her earnestly. "We just can't," he said once more. "Maybe, if we didn't have other obligations, maybe if our circumstances were different, then, yes, we could raise him as our own," he offered, as he was given his son to hold. He wanted to break down right there, and he even had the inkling to escape to a tropical island to harvest his son into the man he should be. But, alas that couldn't happen. "I can't risk him being in danger."

His girlfriend looked up at him. She wiped below her nose, and she gave in. He was right. This couldn't happen.

**Xxxxx**

**An Hour Later  
Command Center-Main Room**

They almost staggered to the main room of this base of command. This decision was too much for them; this was decision would be too much for anyone. However, they knew this was the best for their son. He deserved more than the world in their opinion, and even more, he deserved way more than they could offer him at that moment. They faced their mentor.

"Zordon," the father called. Once he saw Zordon materialize in the viewing globe, he continued. "We choose to give the baby, our son, for adoption." He, then, looked down at the mother and his child, and then he looked back up to Zordon.

"THIS MUST'VE BEEN A DIFFICULT CONCLUSION FOR BOTH OF YOU TO COME TO," the magical entity began, "BUT YOU HAVE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE."

"How can you say that," the mother asked angrily, and even more she wanted to take the decision back. However, her mother's intuition told her otherwise. She took a deep breath, and she had to remain calm. "Sorry, I shouldn't have blown up like that."

He solemnly looked down at the young woman, who he looked like as his daughter. He was hurting for her. "HE WILL BE IN GOOD HANDS. I HAVE FAITH AND TRUST THE PEOPLE I WILL BE PLACING HIM WITH. YOU HAVE NO NEED TO WORRY," their mentor confidently informed.

In a few seconds, a baby carriage formed near the viewing globe. The grieving parents placed their child safely in there. They said a few sweet words to their child. Mostly, 'I love you', 'I will miss you', and 'IF onlys'. They each gave the child a kiss.

Alpha 5 clanked towards the parents. Though, he was to not show emotion—ever, he understood emotion. He knew this pained them to give their child up for adoption. He further understood how remorseful they were for their adult like actions, and he also comprehended how much the two loved one another. He sighed because he wished there was another way to make this work.

This was the _only_ way.

"We need to get you back there," Alpha 5 instructed the mom. He needed to help the mother fully heal, so there was no detection of her giving birth. With his illusions and powerful, supernatural abilities he inhibited on Edenoi, he was sure there would be no trace.

"Yes, Alpha," the mother robotically stated. She was ushered back there—and with every step, she looked over her shoulder at her son.

As soon as the parents left to the back, the main room was sequestered. No one could come in or out, unless Zordon personally used his wizardry.

About an hour later, he teleported the parents out of his 'home'. Alpha 5 resumed his place at the main room, and he even fed the baby, so he wouldn't go hungry. Changing the baby was somewhat challenging, but the two made due.

"Zordon, is it time," Alpha 5 questioned, while putting the baby down in his little crib.

"YES, TELEPORT HIM IN," Zordon commanded.

On Zordon's behalf, Alpha 5 did what was told.

A man in his mid twenties arrived at the Command Center. He was very handsome with brown hair, soft blue eyes, a little bit of stubble around his chin and above his lips, skin light beige in color, and he was dressed in a red polo shirt with blue jeans and white sneakers. He observed his surroundings in awe of what he was witnessing.

"Zordon, Alpha," he greeted them, and he did a 360 of the place. "This place is wonderful. Wow, so technologically advanced, and all the lights and buttons," he went up to one of the boards, but Alpha 5 prevented him from pressing a button. He cleared his throat in embarrassment. "Right."

"MATHEW, YOU UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE HERE," Zordon began, and he saw the head nod. "OBSERVE THE VIEWING GLOBE."

The man, named Mathew, approached the round item that would project images. He looked in horror when he saw the monster residing deep in the waters. The monster with a red, devilish face, his body surrounded by cerulean armor that looked like spikes and fangs, and he was holding a rather large sword. Next to the monster, was another one. Short in stature, a face of an octopus, and holding a staff. He hobbled around the ship, while another villain appeared out of the blue. She was literally blue in color with an instrument attached to her hands. Her appearance is similar to that of the Japanese futakuchi-onna, or two-mouthed woman.

"Zordon, who are they," the sole human in the room asked. He faced Zordon.

"MASTER XANDRED, OCTOROO, AND DAYU; THEY RESIDE UNDER THE SANZU RIVER... FOR NOW. THEY PLAN TO ESCAPE THE EVIL DEPTHS OF THIS RIVER AND CONQUER THE EARTH."

"I'm ready, as the 17th head of the Shiba Clan; I've been training for what seems like all my life," the gentlemen updated. "He will not destroy my family, my home, or my world." He then heard the baby crying. He turned to where the sounds were coming from, and he curiously peered inside. He was greeted by the most beautiful baby in the world.

"MATHEW, HERE'S THE CHILD YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED," Zordon introduced. He closely watched the interaction. He came to the conclusion he was right.

With the arrival of the child and the unknown of what was to come, the parents came to their mentor. They needed help, advice. They weren't sure whether to raise the child or place the child for adoption. Knowing the impending danger, Zordon offered to find the baby trusting parents. Parents who would provide a safe home. Understandably, the parents weren't too keen of this, but they knew their 'teacher' wouldn't have any malicious intent for them and especially for their son. They accepted, and in return, Zordon helped to shield the mother from anything that was to come.

While the fight with Lord Zedd raged on, Zordon,with the help of Alpha 5, began to search for a suitable father. While reading back on the archives, one group of previous powers stood out to them, the Samurai powers. The two began a quest, and eventually, their search led them to Panorama City, CA. That's where the Shiba House was, and that was where the Samurai powers were being harvested. Zordon reached out to the current head of the clan, and that was Mathew Shiba.

Though Mathew already had a three year old daughter named Lauren, his wife did wish to have another child. Sadly, she wasn't able to bare anymore children, and that's when Zordon spoke of the dilemma of his current team of rangers. Mathew's wife, who had knowledge of Mathew's duty as a Samurai ranger, overheard the conversation. At first, she was taken aback by Alpha 5, but she heard the dilemma, and she anxiously looked at Mathew. This was something she wanted to do.

"He's beautiful," Mathew commented, and he already felt a strong connection to the baby. "Do the parents know who is ready to adopt him?"

"No, they don't have a slight clue," Alpha 5 answered, and he discreetly gave the once again new father a piece of paper.

"MATHEW, I TRUST YOU WILL TREAT HIM AS YOUR OWN, AND YOU WILL RAISE HIM TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY."

"You can trust me Zordon. He will be very much loved," the 17th head of the Shiba Clan promised. He couldn't take his eyes off his adopted son.

"VERY WELL. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN," Zordon teleported Mathew out of there with a nice care package. He sighed and looked down at his trusty robot. This day was truly draining to the two of them.

Alpha 5 clanked to his friend. He looked up earnestly. "What if he trains the child in the way of the Samurai," he inquired about.

Zordon became quiet. That wasn't something he thought of. He was unsure if the baby was raised in Angel Grove, if he would've become a Power Ranger like his parents. He wasn't sure if that's something the parents wanted. Furthermore, he was surely certain Mathew wouldn't place the child before his blood. After all, Lauren's destiny was to become the 18th Head of the Shiba Clan. With this baby being adopted and being younger, he would probably watch on and be a supporting factor.

At least, that's what Zordon hoped.

**Xxxxx**

**30 Minutes Later  
Shiba House  
Panorama City, CA**

Inside the Shiba House, Nina Shiba, Mathew's wife and Lauren's mother, was getting the nursery together for the newest addition to their family. At the time she had gotten married to Mathew, she was clueless about his duty to serve the world as a protector. Once she found out about his fate, she accepted with some reservation. She didn't want her husband to die in battle, and she wasn't sure about their future children continuing this very big obligation. When she found out Lauren was to be the 18th Head of the Shiba Clan, she almost lost it. She even threatened divorce and leaving with Lauren, but he convinced her to stay.

She shook off the thoughts. Her husband was coming home soon.

She headed to the kitchen, and she opened the refrigerator and took one of the prepared bottles of milk out. She grabbed the tea kettle, placed some water in a cup, and she placed the milk bottle in there. She needed to warm the milk for the new baby. She, then, headed to the yard. She watched her daughter from the porch.

"Hi-yah, hi-yah, hi-yah," Lauren powerfully moved around. She was practicing what her dad and Mentor Yaki, who was her personal teacher, taught her. Pretending there were Moogers, evil foot soldiers, coming after her, she kicked, punched, and blocked.

A worried Nina watched this. She felt her daughter was too young to train, but her husband assured her this was the best, and this was 'just in case'. Though, he had confidence his daughter would continue the legacy well.

"Lauren," Nina called for her daughter. "Wash up, your dad should be coming soon."

"Aw," the young girl mildly stomped to the house. As soon as she got to the front door though, felt her dad's presence and stopped. "Daddy's home!"

A few seconds later, Mathew entered the gates. He smiled at his wife and daughter, while holding their adopted son close to him. "There's mom and your new sister, Lauren," he introduced. He walked up to his family. He kissed his wife on the cheek, and he bent down to give Lauren a look at her baby brother.

A tear was shed, and Nina couldn't believe how gorgeous this little baby was. "Oh, my gosh, Mathew, he's perfect. I can't believe it," she continued to stare in awe.

They all walked inside the house. Mentor Yaki, man aged 45, who's features were similar to Bruce Lee, came to the living room. He, too, met the newest addition, and he was pleased. Each member of the family got to hold the child. The baby was loved already.

"What's his name," Mentor Yaki questioned, and he passed the child back to Nina. He watched, as she fed the baby.

"George," Nina replied, as she happily fed the child. "That's the name of my father and grandfather, and I believe it would be perfect for him."

Lauren hated the name. "Yuck," she shook her head in disgust. "How about Booger?"

"Booger," Mentor Yaki repeated in confusion. "I don't think that's appropriate."

"Neither do I," Nina reprimanded her young daughter.

"And I don't think George is the right name for him either," Mathew admitted, as he placed his hand in his pocket. He fiddled around his pocket, trying to think of a name. Then, he felt the note that Alpha had given him earlier. He took the paper out, and he read the contents. "Jayden," he read aloud.

"Jayden," Nina and Mentor Yaki chorused with a questionable tone.

"I like it," the now older sister said.

"It's what the parents want," Mathew read them the note, and his wife and friend agreed to follow the birth parents' wish.

Nina smiled, and she looked at her adopted son. "Welcome home, Jayden Thomas Shiba," she kissed the child's forehead. She was thankful for this opportunity.


	2. Chapter 2- The Talk

**A/N: **This takes place about three years later.

**A/N:** Tommy and Kim talk about the infamous letter.

* * *

**Chapter Two- The Talk**

**June 1997  
****Youth Center- Main Room  
Angel Grove, CA**

_"Dear Tommy,_

_Everything is going great here in Florida. Coach Schmitt has me ready as I'll ever be for the competition. Tommy, this is the hardest letter I've ever had to write. You've always been my best friend, and in some ways you're like a brother. But something has happened here that I can't explain. It's both been wonderful and painful at the same time. _

_Tommy, I've met someone else._

_Tommy, you know I would never do anything to hurt you. But I feel like I found the person I belong with. He's wonderful, kind, and caring. You'd really like him. Everything would be perfect if it weren't for hurting you. But I have to follow my heart. I will always care about you, Tommy._

_Please forgive me,_

_Kimberly_"

Tommy had read the letter for the hundredth time since he's received it. By now, he probably memorized it.

What was he thinking? Of course he memorized the damn thing; he could say it in his sleep verbatim.

In some ways, he believed he had gotten over her. And in some ways, he was willing to forgive her for how she callously broke up with him via letter. That all changed when he saw her aboard _that_ ship.

When he saw her, held captive by Divatox and her cronies, all the old feelings he had for her rushed back. He was devastated to see her, probably in some dark lair, hidden, smelling musty stuff, and she must've been scared out of her mind with no power suit to protect her. At that moment, he wanted to kill anyone that laid just a finger on her. He was that furious.

However, while she was evil, she clearly had some pent up anger. He knew she was strong, but the way she attacked and power kicked Kat, and then the way she came at Tommy, he knew that wasn't because she was under a spell. There had to be more behind her outburst, and he was determined to find out.

It was the celebration party for the karate tournament Tommy, Adam, and Jason won. Everyone was at the Youth Center. Jason, Zack, Trini, Kimberly, Billy, and Aisha all stopped by for the festivities. Aisha introduced Jason, Trini, and Kim to newcomers: Tanya and Justin. All old and new Power Rangers came together and spoke of what they were currently doing and what was to come next.

"Graduation is not too far from now. During the summer I plan to keep up with my physical therapy, and hopefully I'll be 100%. I still plan on becoming a sensei in the future," Rocky spoke, and he went back to eating his food. "Not to mention," he swallowed, "I'll have my nurse with me."

Jason laughed. "Let's just hope she isn't too disgusted with your eating habits," he commented at the piles of food Rocky had in front of him.

The rest of the group laughed at his comment.

"Oh, I don't think she'll mind," Aisha said, and she gave Rocky a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm pretty much used to it."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute... you two," Tanya was seemingly surprised by the revelation.

Aisha incredulously looked at her friends. "Oh, come on, you guys can't be that surprised," and when she saw they were, she explained how their friendship became more. "After I went to Africa, Rocky sent me letters asking how I was doing. Though, he could've just teleported."

The listeners shook their head.

"You know Zordon would've never allowed that," Zack mentioned, and he continued to listen to the story.

Aisha playfully rolled her eyes. "Well, duh, I was just joking, but we continued writing, and well, we realized there was more to us than being friends," she summed it up.

"But, how did you know to come," Kat literally had a blonde moment. "Oh, right, Rocky could've called or something."

"Yes, Rocky did call, and he was the one that paid for my plane ticket," the former Yellow Ranger said.

"Now, I have to say wait a minute, the same guy who asks us to foot his bill for a smoothie, sent you money for a plane ticket," Adam couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Or asked me to pay for his pizza. I'm 13, I can't even get a job," Justin shook his head.

"Hey guys, I'm right here you know," Rocky motioned to himself. "I've been saving money, and I really did want her to come back, so I paid for her plane ticket. She really means a lot to me, and I wanted her to be here. I know she's going to do a great job helping me," he finished, and he placed his hand on Aisha's knee.

Trini delightfully smiled. "Aw, that is the cutest story I've ever heard. Someone should be paying attention," she hinted for her friends, but really she hinted to one in particular. The former Yellow wondered if he would get it.

Jason felt the heat under his collar, and when everyone was speculating Trini had been talking about Billy he began to get angry.

"It's not me, " Billy admitted, and the rest of the group was stumped. His eyes went to Jason.

"Tri, next time, I promise to buy your plane ticket," the former Red and Gold Ranger vowed, and she happily nodded. He saw everyone was looking at him, with disbelieving looks, and he admitted the truth. "Trini _is_ my girlfriend and has been for the past three months."

"About time you admitted the truth," Kim smiled from her spot, and she was genuinely happy for all of her friends. She enjoyed hearing about what everyone was planning to do after graduation. Aisha was here to stay with Rocky, Kat would continue ballet in England, Tanya would teach singing, Adam was set to teach kids karate, Zack became a choreographer, Justin was set to enter his senior year of high school after the summer, Billy would eventually be back on Earth, Jason was to attend the community college, Trini had a few months left in Switzerland, and Tommy. She noticed his burly, yet gentle eyes were on her. They hadn't left her, since they arrived at the Youth Center.

"So, Kim, what do you plan on doing," Tanya asked. Though, she didn't know Kimberly personally, she held some dislike. The letter was heartless, and to see Tommy the way he was, she wouldn't wish that on her worst enemy. Obviously, as Kat's best friend ,she knew where her loyalty was. Despite her dislike, she still wanted to learn more and believe that Kim wasn't a heartless wench.

The former Pink Ranger stared right back at Tommy. She felt the anger, and she knew eventually there would be a time she had to explain what exactly led up to the letter. As much as she wanted to run, duck, hide, maybe even catch the next plane back to Paris, she really had to explain herself to him. She owed him that much.

"Oh, um, I'm going to spend the summer with my mom and step-dad, and then I'll be back in Angel Grove, _for good,_" the young woman replied.

"Wow, that's great. I'll be back in town when you are, Kim," Trini excitedly said.

Justin looked at his watch. It was beginning to get late, and he did have a curfew. "Uh, Adam, could you take me home," he questioned.

"Yeah, that's no problem. I do have an early class in the morning. I should get going also," the Green Ranger said. "Tanya, Rocky, Aisha, do you guys need a ride as well?" The three nodded, and they all went to say bye to their friends.

"I'll catch you guys later. I have a date with Angela," Zack slyly smiled, and he exited the Youth Center.

"And I must go as well," Billy bid adieu, but not before giving his closest friends a hug goodbye. "You would think I would get tired between traveling from here and Aquitar," he figured, but nonetheless, he smiled and left to go.

"Jase, ready to head back to the hotel," Trini wondered, and he nodded with joy. She faced Kim. "Talk to him," she wisely advised. As her best friend, she knew everything about Kim, well, almost everything. She believed the letter was wrong, she really hoped that her best friend would explain why she did what she did. Trini wished to know what was the motive behind the letter, but she never wanted to pressure Kim about it. She believed that Kim was regretful about the letter though.

"Wait, Kim, you aren't coming with us," Jason wondered, and he looked between Tommy, Kat, and Kim. He surely didn't want to be in the middle of that, and he knew Kim and Tommy needed to talk privately. He walked up to Kim. "If you need us, you know how to reach either Trini or me. Okay?"

"Yes, I know," the former Pink gave each of her dearest friends a hug.

With Tommy, Kat, and Kim left in the Youth Center, the three of them awkwardly stood there. Tommy, out of the three, felt the most awkward. His ex girlfriend was staring at him, and so was his current girlfriend. He didn't want to exactly tell his girlfriend to leave, so he could talk to Kim, but he knew it would surely come down to that. Kim didn't want to tell Kat to leave either because she didn't want anyone to think she was jealous of their relationship or something along those lines.

Kat decided to break the ice, and she wanted to be the bigger person. She turned to Tommy, and she gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. "Call me tomorrow," she told Tommy, and he nodded. "Bye, Kim, it was nice seeing you again."

"Good night Kat," Kim said, and she faced Tommy head on. Though, she was a little scared of this talk, she knew Ernie's Youth Center wouldn't be the right place. "Where should we..."

"We can go to my place," he interjected with no hesitation. "My parents are out of town, so we have the house to ourselves." He watched the apprehension on Kim's face, and he knew that wasn't the right thing to say. "It's just that, if we go to the park now, it's kind of late, and we can go to your hotel room, but that wouldn't look right to wandering eyes..."

"I don't know if your house looks great to wandering eyes either," Kim admitted. Tommy's neighbors were the nosiest people she had ever encountered. She sighed.

"We really need to talk about this though."

Kim bit her lip. "Your house it is then."

The two quickly left after that.

**Xxxxx**

**20 Minutes Later  
Tommy's House  
Angel Grove, CA**

Kim walked around Tommy's living room. She admired all of the pictures his mom had taken of them and proudly posted along the walls. She smiled at all the memories. They were really great memories. There were pictures from Tommy's first karate tournament in Angel Grove, the gang's participation in the production of 'Repunzal', the going away party of Jason, Trini, and Zack, photos from before they went on the plane to Australia, and a picture of her and Tommy at the Youth Center Christmas Party.

That picture stood out to her the most. She remembered she had to somewhat beg Coach Schmidt to let her take some time off from training, so she could go. Although reluctant, he made her promise him that she would train, train, and train, while out in Angel Grove. She squealed in delight and accepted the compromise. Once she got in Angel Grove, she ran directly into Tommy's arms, and she didn't want to let go. She missed him that much.

She missed him now, even more.

And then she went back to training, and she became an emotional wreck, which led to the letter. A slight tear slid down her eye. She penned the letter to be hurtful; she wanted to make sure Tommy never came after her. She had to make sure their relationship ended, and she could finally move on from what they did—together.

"Here you go," Tommy returned from the kitchen and handed Kim a cup of water. They went to sit on the couch. There was silence, and then he broke it. "Do you know what you plan on doing when you get back?"

"Not too sure at this point; I just know I want to be home," Kim replied, and she looked at him. "Are you going to continue racing?"

"And being a Power Ranger, of course," he bent over and winked at her a little bit. They ended up laughing, and then he became serious. "How have you _really_ been?"

"Are you talking about since _that_ day, or the withdrawals, or the letter, or what just happened not too long ago with being dropped in that pit thingy," she hoped for him to clarify.

They really did have a lot to talk about, but he wanted the most important to come out first. _"That_ day," he clarified, and he looked at Kim with a sorrowful expression. "I haven't stopped thinking about him."

"Neither have I," Kim sadly admitted. "He's what, about three right now?"

"Going to turn three in four months, five days, three hours and 17 seconds, oh, 16 seconds," he counted down.

"I'm surprised. You never did seem to remember your notebook or when we had a date, but you remember his birthday."

"He's my son, how could I forget him," Tommy questioned her.

"He's my son too," Kim reminded him, and she began to wipe the tears that were already descending on his face. "Tommy, tell me we did the right thing. Tell me we did the right thing," she demanded.

Tommy was conflicted. Now that he knew he was adopted, he would hate for his son to miss out on his origins as well. After taking some time to think, he wondered what his son looked like.

And then his mind drifted back to _that_ time, and he knew why he chose to give his son up for adoption. Now, he wasn't so sure if that was the right choice. Part of him was selfish, and he admitted if Kim and him decided to keep their son, then maybe, just maybe, they would've stayed together and that hurtful letter would've never been written. However, the flip side was their son would be the target of mass kidnappings. He could barely handle Kim being snatched, so how would he handle his own flesh and blood being taken—he wouldn't handle it and he'd be even more irate than usual.

"Kim, we really did the right thing," he confessed. He placed a comforting hand on her knee, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "Zordon assured us our son would be in the right hands, and we knew with us as Power Rangers, and us having extra curricular activities, and with us being young, being parents was not an option. You know that and I know that."

"But would you have given up all of that to raise him," Kim seriously queried. "Would you have given up the karate, the racing, graduating high school and being a Power Ranger, knowing you could raise your child—our child?"

"Karate and racing, that's a no brainer, but being Power Ranger, we were chosen as protectors of the Earth for a reason, and I accepted my position," he responded, and he kept rubbing circles on her back.

"And if you weren't a Power Ranger," she inquired about, since that seemed to be the only thing that held him back from being a parent.

"Honestly, Kim," he used his index finger under her chin and lifted her head up. He wanted her to make eye contact with him. "I don't believe I would've met you then."

Shocked by his revelation, she shamefully looked away. She quickly buried her head into her hands. Then, she her head crushed in between her legs. She screamed at the top of her lungs. His muscular arms wrapped around her body, and she violently thrashed around. She hoped, wished, he would let go, but he wouldn't. She knew that. The world could've crumbled beneath her, but that still wouldn't have stopped her from letting this frustration out. She hadn't spoke of her feelings about giving up their son to anyone, not her parents, her best friends, and especially to Tommy. And she screamed and screamed until she didn't have the energy to continue on.

Once she stopped, she bawled her eyes out.

"Shh, shh, Kim, it's okay, it's okay," he understood the magnitude of her outburst.

When the two found out Kim was pregnant, the two of them made a pact. They would never speak to anyone about this. Not to their family, friends, doctors—no one. They opened up to their Guidance and Alpha 5 because they had the means to help keep this hidden. And that's what Zordon and Alpha did. They assisted them every step of the way in keeping this secret between them. Kim didn't want to arise any suspicion, and as her fatherly figures, the magical beings found ways to shield and protect her.

They created a band to conceal the ever growing baby bump. Her power suit was specially coated with material from Zordon's home. Alpha 5 was her appointed OB-GYN, and when it came to her increased eating habits, she would eat privately in the power chamber. After each battle, she was inspected to make sure there was no harm to the fetus.

And when they found the sex of the baby was a boy, Tommy was elated. He proudly shouted at the top of his lungs. He couldn't believe he was having a baby boy, but the joy was short lived. They had to make a decision. Either they raise the child, while being in high school and saving the world from evil, or they place the child for adoption. After agonizing over the pros and cons, they decided their unborn child would be best sent to live with a loving family.

Zordon agreed it was best, and he began the search. When he informed Tommy and Kim that he found suitable parents, they were both happy and sad. They knew this was best for their child, but this was their child. They weren't sure if they could let go.

A month after Zordon had found the parents, Kim's contractions started. Just because she wasn't showing visibly, that didn't mean what a pregnancy entailed hadn't or wasn't occurring within her body. The contractions were very strong, and she almost passed out, but she was able to touch her communicator and arrived in the Command Center. Tommy was teleported after that. He immediately rushed to her side. Alpha 5 helped to give birth.

And that's when _**he**_ entered the world. A very healthy, 7 lbs 6 oz, 20 in. long baby boy was born. Kim and Tommy cried with joy. As the father, Tommy had the honor of cutting the umbilical cord. He wasn't sure if this was father's instincts, or some magic was tossed in, but he began to clean his son himself. He carefully bathed him, and then he swaddled him, and he brought their son to Kim. She was still crying; she was so happy he was healthy. And she held her son for the first time. Tommy kissed her forehead and said his devotion to her, and she reciprocated.

Alpha 5 began Kim's healing process, but he wasn't able to finish. Kim asked for some alone time with her newborn son. Tommy and Alpha 5 exited on her behalf.

That was a bittersweet moment.

"Tommy, I'm sorry about the letter," Kim sincerely apologized after her blowup. She continued speaking into his chest. "You have to know, there's no one else. I had to do something that would cause you to just stop talking to me."

"What, Kim, why," he gently questioned, and he became slightly confused.

"Back in Florida, I had a meltdown," she admitted, and she drank some water to soothe her burning throat. "The decision, the memories, the sadness, the anger, the happiness, it just came at me like a two ton truck. I didn't want to train, I didn't want to eat, and I became severely depressed."

"Why didn't you tell me, or call or something..."

"I wanted to, trust me I did, but we made a promise to not bring him up, and we were doing such a great job of putting up this facade, and, and...

"So, the letter was what exactly," he wanted answers.

She heavily exhaled a breath. "The letter was to make me forget about what we did. I needed to do something so drastic that would make me forget that we made a child out of love, and we decided to do what we thought was best. I wanted to get rid of all of the reminders of him somehow, and I thought giving you up was the best place to start, since you are the father," she honestly responded.

Tommy got off the couch. He began tersely pacing the floors. Now, he was beginning to feel the weight and aggravation of their decision. There was no other guy, he repeated and repeated to himself. Yes, he was angry with her lie, but he wasn't surprised. She really hadn't coped with their action. He turned to her calmly. "We did the right thing," he stated once more firmly. "You may not think we did, but we did."

The Crane Ninjetti felt some relief. Tommy wasn't as angry as he should've been. She was thankful for that. "Have you asked Zordon about him," Kim questioned.

"No," he admitted with some disgrace. "We never did say whether or not this was going to be an open or closed adoption," and then he thought about him finding out he was adopted. "Kim, I never told you, but last year, after we broke up, I found out I was adopted."

"What," Kim gasped at his admission. "Wait, what, how, when?"

"Maybe a day or two after I got your letters. I kept having these dreams about a hawk, and finally I just had to do something for myself. I went on a personal quest, and that's when it happened. I met my brother, David," he answered. He explained more to Kim about David, his mother and father, and him talking to his adoptive parents about why they kept this a secret. "Everything happens for a reason, and I believe I was sent away, so that I could become a Power Ranger. You really think Rita would've scoped me out on a reservation?"

"Pshh, she probably would've tried. We've had plenty of fights on sand or in a desert," Kim mildly quipped to loosen up the tension in the room. "Does anyone else know about this?"

"For the most part, I haven't told Trini, Zack, or Aisha, you know it's hard when they aren't the same country."

"Right," and Kim became a little bit more relaxed about the situation. "I have faith in who Zordon chose as his parents. And now knowing that you were adopted, and seeing how you turned out, minus your time as the evil Green Ranger, I'm guessing he's in great hands. So, do you forgive me for the letter?"

Tommy heartily smiled at her. He nodded. He pulled Kim in for a hug, and he held her for some time. When he finally let go, he pulled back a tendril of hair that was covering her face. He looked deep into her topaz colored eyes. They were just like how he remembered but with some sorrow mixed in. He was sure that sorrow would dissipate after she healed more from her decision. That didn't stop her from looking beautiful though. He bent down, and she kissed her cheek.

Kim froze at his soft kiss on her cheek. When he departed, she looked up at his chocolate brown eyes. She loved this man so much. They had been through quite of bit together. She never forgot the way he would make her feel in person, from afar, or in the bedroom. But she had to realize, they weren't lovers anymore. He was with Kat, and she had given him up. In no way, would she be a homewrecker.

"Kim, I should take you to your hotel," he got her attention.

"Okay, Tommy," she agreed, though she wished they could talk some more. She grabbed her purse and went to his front door. She patiently waited for him. "Tommy."

"Yes, Kim."

"Thank you for talking to me. I really appreciate it," she expressed her gratitude.

"Anytime, beautiful," he winked at her again, and he walked her to his truck, and he drove her back to the hotel room.


	3. Chapter 3- The Kagemusha

**A/N: **Kagemusha means for all intents and purposes** 'the impostor' **in Japanese. I got the idea from the Super Sentai tv Show Shikenger.

**A/N: **I really do hope that everyone enjoys this story and what I plan to do with it.

* * *

**Chapter 3- The Kagemusha**

**February 1999  
****Shiba House-Front Yard  
****Panorama City, CA**

A young boy, aged four, with blonde hair and caramel colored streaks laced throughout, hopped down the stairs. He was dressed in the traditional gi like his dad and sister. He came to a stop, as he saw his older sister, who was eight, maneuver her weapon against their dad with ease. He watched them in awe. They were doing great, and he couldn't wait to learn more.

Jayden had been taught some karate here and there, and he even witnessed the intense training sessions his dad had with his teammates or when his sister was training. He really wanted to get into the action, and he hoped Mentor Yaki would take him under his wing one day.

The gates to the Shiba House opened, and there was Ike, the current Blue Samurai Ranger. Ike was tall, around 6'2". His hair was edged sharply, and he had deep, chocolate pigmentation. He walked in like he was a soldier for the army, and he approached Jayden's dad.

Curiosity struck Jayden, and he quickly went to where a meeting seemed to happen.

"Master Xandred is growing stronger and stronger by the day, we need to group and figure out a way to defeat him, or the world as we know it will perish," Ike urgently informed his leader—the 17th Head of the Shiba Clan.

"I have a plan," Mathew boldly stated, and he quickly went into the house. Jayden, Lauren, and Ike followed. He walked to the bookcase, and he took a book out. "Now, this might be tricky, but I believe it can work," he kept flipping through the pages, and he finally found it. "Here it is, the _Sealing Symbol_."

"Dad, what exactly will it do," Lauren asked while sitting on an available stool.

Mentor Yaki came to join the conversation. "The _Sealing Symbol_ will prevent any Nighlock or evil being from the Netherwold from reentering our world. If done successfully, the threat to humanity will perish," he informed, and he looked at his student. "You might have to learn this one day."

"No," Mathew slammed the book so hard, it caused the other occupants to jump. "I will learn this now, and I will perfect the symbol myself. There will be no way my daughter, son, or anyone else in my family will get hurt by this creature."

"But, you are just learning this now, and with Master Xandred frequently attacking as he is, you might not have enough time to perfect it," Mentor Yaki reasoned, as he was familiar with the archives. "It wouldn't hurt for her to try."

Jayden remained quiet as he watched the adults and his sister speak of the issue at hand.

"My answer is still no," Mathew practically growled.

"There is nothing wrong with having a back up plan," Ike informed.

"If there is to be a back up plan, then I will make sure my teammate will learn it with me. Ike, you have your morpher with you? It's time we start," the Red Ranger didn't seem to read the information carefully.

Master Yaki shook his head knowingly. "Mathew, read about the _Sealing Symbol_ in depth. You will note there is a slight problem with who you're choosing," he updated, and he escorted young Lauren out to the preparation yard.

And that's what Mathew did. He went back to the pages of the _Sealing Symbol_ and his eyes got wide.

"Well, what is it, dad," Jayden curiously asked, and he could feel the anticipation within the pit of his stomach.

"Mathew, what's the matter," Ike questioned, concerned for his best friend's deer caught in headlights expression. He didn't like this one bit.

"The only person that could potentially master this symbol would be a descendent of the Shiba clan," Mathew informed, a little upset with this stipulation. And he looked towards the outside. There was his daughter practicing her kanji symbols. She was working hard at perfecting them.

Little Jayden became ecstatic, as he was to be the 19th Head of the Shiba clan. At least, he was positive of it. "Does that mean I get to learn it?"

Mathew and Ike quickly turned to the precocious boy, and they both smiled, though their eyes hid the truth. They knew it was genetically impossible for him to learn this. He wasn't a descendent of the Shiba bloodline. He was simply adopted into this family.

"Uh, Jayden, why don't you help your mother in the kitchen. I have to talk to Uncle Ike about something," he said.

"You got it," the young boy left to help his mom. He always loved being around her, and he could smell she was baking.

After his son left, Mathew turned to Ike. Because Ike was his best friend he asked for him to be Jayden's Godfather.

Ike knew Jayden wasn't their biological son. He could tell by his Godson's eyes.

"How do I tell Jayden he can never be a leader to a team of Samurai Rangers," Mathew's heart became heavy. He hated that they weren't furthering his son's training. Unlike Lauren, she began to train at the age of two.

"That''s something you have to figure out on your own," Ike responded truthfully, and he didn't know what to do in his position. "At this point though, I sort of wish Jayden was your son. It would be a great distraction tactic. Master Xandred or his allies would never suspect a thing."

And that's when the light bulb in the Red Ranger's head lit up brightly. "Ike, you're a genius," once more he went to the bookcase. He grabbed another book off one of the shelves.

"No, you are not doing what I think you're doing," the Blue Ranger quickly caught on. "I was just joking," he watched as his friend kept scanning through pages, "You will not do this to him. Mathew!"

"Kagemusha," Mathew read the Japanese term. "It's perfect. While Lauren is working hard on perfecting the symbol, then Jayden will stand in and lead the team of Power Rangers. Once she's ready, she will resume the head of the Shiba Clan and fight against Master Xandred. Jayden will be relieved, and he will no longer have to fight.

"He can get hurt, or worse, he could get killed," Ike argued. "My son Kevin has been practicing diligently for the past two years. He's been taught to never be better than the Red Ranger. Jayden's barely practiced, and that would cause dishonor to the future team if the Blue shined more than the Red."

"What if he can be trained to be the best of the best," Mathew proposed. "Jayden catches on quickly when it comes to aesthetic stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if he could take a Samuraizer and draw the kanjis. correctly and use a Spinsword like it's supposed to be used."

This was crazy, Ike thought. "And who will you get to train him? You can't take Yaki away from Lauren, the true 18th Shiba Head," Ike countered, and he sighed. "I suggest you start learning this symbol now. If you master it, then you might not have to make Lauren learn, and in return you won't have to put Jayden in battle. I don't believe this is what his actual parents would want."

With those words, Ike left to 'swimming practice' with his son. He had respect for his leader, but the thought of putting an innocent boy in the cross hairs of a raging lunatic with a sword was absolutely ludicrous. He surely hoped that would never be the plan. He looked back at the Shiba House, and he gave a slight nod to Mentor Yaki and Lauren. He left the property.

"Dad, Mom baked cookies," Jayden zoomed to the living room, and he handed his dad a delicious sugar cookie.

"Oh, and we love your mother's baking," Mathew eagerly took a bite. "She did it again."

"What'd she do again," the young boy quirked his eyebrow.

"She baked wonderful goodies of course," the father of two laughed, and he seriously looked at his son. "Do you want to learn what Mentor Yaki teaches Lauren?"

"Yes, it's cool," he nonchalantly replied. "Can we start now?"

Maybe Mathew had gone mad. Maybe he knew Master Xandred's attacks were getting too strong, and he was worried his team of rangers weren't going to defeat him. Maybe he knew there wasn't enough time to gain the right amount of power to make the symbol work, and it was time to put his daughter's advancement into overdrive. Or maybe, he just had that much confidence in Jayden. After all, his son was comprised of not one, but two Power Rangers' blood lines. His young son was very special.

This would be the right choice.

"Yeah, come on, let's go outside and see what your sister and Yaki are doing," he led his young son to the outside.

**Xxxxx**

**April 1999  
Shiba House-Kitchen  
Panorama City, CA**

As much as Nina loved her husband, and she understood their young daughter was to train to be the next Red, Samurai ranger, she couldn't help but be upset with his new idea. When her husband told her of his plans to start training Jayden, and for their adopted son to possibly become a stand in, so Lauren would solely invest her time into learning the _Sealing Symbol _in private, the wife found this absolutely crazy. With no thought of a consequence, she objected the thought, and she looked at her husband with disgust. She had her apprehensions about Lauren already, and Jayden, especially Jayden, wouldn't be any different.

Mathew entered the family's kitchen, and he went to brew some coffee. His wife was already in there, and she was preparing the breakfast.

The two occupied each other with silence.

Lately, their conversations were leading into arguments over what was right and wrong. Hating that he was fighting with his wife, he walked up to her. He grabbed his wife, so they made eye contact. He felt her resistance, but that just caused him to wrap his arms around her tighter than before.

"I love you," he declared strongly, and he watched as tears formed in her eyes. "Don't cry," he wished, as she fell limp in his protective arms. He really hoped his wife would understand what he was concocting would definitely save the world.

"How can I not cry," Nina wiped her eyes. "Lauren is so young, and she's working with swords, kendo sticks, bo staffs, and she has a phone-"

"Samuraizer, honey," he quickly corrected her.

She sighed. "A Samuraizer, that makes Japanese symbols come to life," she shook her head, "and she's _only_ eight years old." She looked into her husband's blue eyes, and then she moved away from him. She went to look outside the kitchen's window. "How is she going to handle this? How will Jayden handle it? And most of all, how are we, me, going to handle either one on the battle lines?"

Mathew stood behind her, and with comfort, he placed a hand on her right shoulder. He kissed her neck softly. "She's a natural," he spoke of his daughter's talent. "Yaki really has done wonders with her, and she's surpassed all of her little tests; she's carrying the Shiba legacy so well. And I think, no, I know she'll do great."

"Mathew, alright, I'll go with her assimilating to the Samurai lifestyle, and I'll accept she's going to become advanced with all the different kind of weapons, but what about Jayden," she was concerned for her son.

From the moment Jayden arrived home, she fell in love with the little boy. She was there for the first time he ever turned from his stomach to his back, when he crawled for the first time, and when he began to take his first steps. She really did love Jayden unconditionally, so she didn't want him to be a part of _this_ life.

"Jayden's going to do great," Mathew responded. with no apprehension.

"This is not apart of his bloodline though," she firmly reminded him, and her husband was slightly appalled. "Yes, he's our son. Yes, he's apart of our family. Yes, he has your surname. And yes, we'd take a bullet for him like any other parent would do for a child, _but_ this isn't meant for him."

"His parents are Power Rangers!"

"Are, or were?"

The 17th head of the Shiba Family was stumped. He wasn't sure if the parents were still fighting the world. Besides the little note he was given from Alpha 5, he really didn't know too much about Jayden's birth parents. He's always wondered about them, but he admitted he never had time to find out more information about them.

And when Zordon passed, which upset Mathew greatly because the mythical being gave him his son, now there was no way to know their identities or at the very least find out what they were doing.

"I don''t know," he confessed.

"Is this something they wanted for him? Would they want him to be a Power Ranger," she asked the questions he would never ask. Mathew remained silent. "From what I see and been through, I would never put my child through this. There's training all day everyday, no time for a break or fun, the danger, and do you have any idea what you put me through?"

"What?!"

"I worry constantly about you," she very much stressed. "Sometimes, the worry attacks my body to the point I want to vomit, and to be honest, I'm very afraid that I'll get that knock on the door," she didn't want to finish her sentence because it would pain her to do so.

Mathew knew what she was saying. She'd be crushed if he died in battle. "Honey," he wanted her to face him. "I accept the danger; it comes with the title of being a Samurai ranger and leader. I understand your concern, and I love you so much. Please have faith in what I'm doing."

She shook her head furiously. "You, a Ranger, yes, Lauren, I'm warming up to the idea because she's going to carry on the family's purpose, but Jayden, no. Now, I have to sit at home worrying about the possibility of you, my daughter, and, now, my son getting hurt. That's too much for me to handle as a wife and mother."

"I will assure you, none of us will get hurt. Mentor has conditioned our daughter to be strong, understand what her duties are, and I know she will be able to fully master all of the symbols," he truly did have faith in Lauren. "And, trust me, I would hope she wouldn't have to seal Master Xandred away," he had been working with the symbol very hard, and he hoped there was time to fully acquire the power to make sure the symbol worked. "Then Lauren wouldn't have to be taught as frequently, and Jayden would never have to begin his heavy regiment," he somewhat assured her. "I want to protect my daughter and son, but I also have to think about the world and what would be the best plan of action."

And Nina knew that was the truth. As much as she feared for what was to happen to her family, she knew she would not have a family, if Master Xandred fully executed his plans to conquer Earth. "Okay," was all she said.

Mathew knew his wife's hesitations, but he couldn't stop what was to happen. "Mentor Yaki won't be able to give his attention to both Lauren and Jayden," he softly said, as he watched his wife plate the breakfast for five—him, her, their daughter, their son, and Mentor.

Upon hearing this, she knew the talk about teaching Jayden the Samurai lifestyle was slowly going to become an action. "So, what do you propose," she placed all the empty pans into the expanse sink.

"Another mentor to live in on the property and help _him_ grow to become a Samurai," he honestly responded.

"Mathew, this was going to happen regardless of how much I objected. Wasn't it," she queried.

He nodded, knowing his answer would pain her. She might regard this as an act of betrayal, but this was preparation.

Emotionally exhausted, she had no more will to fight him about this. She simply nodded as form of compliance, and she left to wake everyone else for breakfast.

**Xxxxx**

**June 1999  
Tengen Gate  
Undisclosed Location**

The Elder Guardian of the Tengen Gate overlooked the pasture side. He smelled the fresh air, and he watched, in the distance, the sun was beginning to rise. Everyday was truly a blessing. He decided to head back inside, and as he passed by the little memorial of the first ever Samurai Rangers, he bowed as a form of respect.

The first set of Samurai Rangers battled the Nighlock army on this property. Since then, it's been a place for the Samurai Rangers to come and seek wisdom. In addition, there was a magical talisman—the Black Box, that could house all of the Rangers' symbol power. This unique box was housed and protected here.

Daisuke, Elder Guardian of the Tengen Gate, went to seek his top Senior Guardian, Ji.

The Tengen Gate was populated by the Elder Guardian, the one that would oversee the _**whole**_ entire Tengen Gate, three Senior Guardians, who had been on the property for some time. Eventually one would step in when the Elder Guardian decided his time there was no longer needed or he passed, and the rest of the residents were Junior Guardians. Some of the Junior Guardians had been there for a year, while the rest had just decided this was the life for them.

Arriving to one of the rooms of the place, Daisuke gently rapped on the paper door. The door slowly opened, and there he was. A man of thirty with a slight mocha colored tint exhibiting a Polynesian ancestry, charcoal colored hair, strong, yet caring brown eyes, and a build that could make any Nighlock quiver.

As a form of respect, the two bowed.

"Daisuke, is there something wrong," he asked, worry evident in his voice.

"Oh, no," the Elder let a small chuckle out. "This must be a surprise then."

The Senior nodded as a matter of fact. "What can I help you with, or what do you need," he wondered out loud.

"Follow me," Dasiuke led the way to the main room of the Tengen Gate. This was where the communal breakfast, lunches, and dinners would happen. He stood at the head of the long table that would seat 30, and in the seat to the right of him, there was a man.

The Senior didn't understand the purpose of this meeting, and he went to the left of the Daisuke. Across from him was a man he had never seen before in person. Maybe, he saw him in a picture, but never in motion.

The man stood up, and they all reverently bowed to one another before sitting down at their seats.

"Ji, this is Mathew Shiba, 17th Head of the Shiba clan," Daisuke introduced. "And Mathew, this is Ji, my most trusted Senior Guardian."

"It's an honor to meet you," Ji gave a slight bow of his head.

"Thank you, and it's very nice to put a face to the person Daisuke has talked so highly about," Mathew said, and he looked at Daisuke, who gave an affirming nod. "I'm sure you're wondering what this meeting is about."

"Yes," Ji nervously croaked, as the Shiba Family was loyalty amongst these grounds. He hoped he wasn't going to be ousted or something.

"I have a young son," the leader of the Samurai Rangers began, "And he is to be the 18th Head of the Shiba Clan," and then he received a slight smack from the Elder.

The Elder was none too pleased with this fib. "Tell, the truth," he firmly ordered.

"My daughter, Lauren, is the true 18th Head of the Shiba Clan, and I want my son, Jayden, to step in her place until she has truly mastered the _Sealing_ _Symbol_," Mathew partially admitted.

And Mathew's practiced the symbol day in and day out. He would start from the morning and his training would last until he collapsed to the ground. The battles him and his team would engage in didn't make the task of acquiring this symbol any better, as they would deter him from perfecting the damn thing. Not to mention, symbol Power does drain the person. If he wasn't careful, he would land himself in the hospital or worse. As much as his wife detested Jayden standing in, Mathew knew it was time to get their son a mentor.

"A Kagemusha," Ji gasped under his breath. He read the archives, and he believed that was a great plan, but very hurtful to the person, who decided to be the impostor.

"Yes," Daisuke intervened, since Mathew seemed to be dragging his feet in the sand. "Tell Ji the real reason why you are here. It is obviously to not have some tea and cookies, or to _just_ tell him about this grand scheme of yours."

"Correct, Daisuke," the 17th Head bowed, and he knew he was taking his precious time. He hadn't taken long when it came to Mentor Yaki, so why was this different? He knew this was different because of the circumstances. He sighed. "I want you to be Jayden's Mentor."

Ji almost fell out of his chair at the request. "Me... you want me... to be his mentor," he thought that was absurd.

Mathew nodded. "I came to Daisuke because he aided with finding my daughter's mentor, and I knew he wouldn't fail me. When he spoke so highly of you, I knew you were the one."

"You trust me with this," Ji asked the Elder; the Elder nodded with no hesitation. "But what about my duties here?"

"Your duties will be handled by the rest of the Senior Guardians," Daisuke replied, and he looked at Ji. "You must take this opportunity."

"I don't know if I can," Ji confessed because he doubted his confidence.

"Please, I beg you," Mathew would've gotten down on his hands and knees; he wasn't sure what else to do. "I wouldn't be asking this of you if it wasn't very important, but I wish for you to help me, my son, my family, the world."

Ji thought about this some more, and though a bit hesitant, he wished to please Daisuke. After all, the Elder had so much faith in him. "I will accept," he only said.

The Red Ranger could've done a happy dance right then and there, but he maintained his composure. He shook hands with Ji. "You will leave today. Pack your things, as you will live on the Shiba grounds," he told, and he kept a smile on his face.

"Now," the new mentor was surprised. Once he saw the head bobs from Daisuke and Mathew, he left to get his things.

Daisuke turned to Mathew and shook his hand once more. "Mathew, you must tell Ji your secret," he informed, as he knew one more piece of information was missing.

"One thing at a time, Daisuke," Mathew responded. "One day, he'll find out Jayden is adopted, but right now we have more important things to do."

With that, the two men left to the front of the Tengen Gate, so they could wait for Ji. Mathew's plans to utilize Jayden as an impostor was in full force. His son was going to learn the ways of a Samurai, so his daughter could concentrate on sealing away Master Xandred. He couldn't be any more pleased.


	4. Chapter 4- The Sacrifices

**A/N:** The next chapter of the story. Tommy and Kim will come together eventually. Just keep reading to find out when. =)

* * *

**Chapter 4- The Sacrifices**

**October 1999  
Command Center Remains  
Angel Grove, CA**

The moon brightly shined down on the remnants of the Command Center. The place the Power Rangers would meet before, during, and after a battle was destroyed a year ago. After a successful infiltration by Divatox's henchman, the base crumbled into shards, rails, boards, rubble. The desolate remains hadn't been visited by a single former Power Ranger.

Until now...

In the distance, a Red race car, a Blue truck, a Yellow Van, a Green Jeep, and finally a Pink sports car drove 19 people to the site. The vehicles stopped right near the base, and the passengers exited. The cars reversed, and the lights were kept on. They protectively watched them.

Jason Scott, Zachary 'Zack' Taylor, Trinity 'Trini' Kwan, William 'Billy' Cranston, and Kimberly 'Kim' Hart walked, and they were in complete and utter shock of what was in front of them. Thomas 'Tommy' Oliver, Rockford 'Rocky' DeSantos, Adam Park, Aisha Campbell, and Katherine 'Kat' Hillard followed. They, too, were surprised by the destruction. Justin Stewart, Theodore Jay 'TJ' Jarvis, Cassandra 'Cassie' Chan, Ashley Hammond, and Carlos Vallerte had heavy hearts. And the last three, Andros and Karone, formerly known as the evil temptress Astronema, who were twins, and Zhane, Silver Space ranger, stopped a few feet away from the people in front of them.

Andros and Karone were consumed with dread. Zhane was there for support.

The news of Zordon's passing traveled quickly. Each former ranger, who had a tie to Zordon, felt their mentor go tino the after life. At first, there was denial, then the tears came, and the anger filed in. For Jason and Tommy, they wanted to really annihilate Andros for what he had done.

Andros, Red ranger and leader to the Space Power Rangers, did what he was told. Zordon asked, no, he requested for Andros to shatter his tube, so that all of his goodness would wash over the villains. And as much as he resisted, even told Zordon there must be another way, he did what was asked. And Zordon's essence engulfed the former villains to become reformed people. Essentially, that was what had saved Karone from her own demise. She was never meant to be evil anyways.

Andros mustered the courage he could. "I-I understand all of the anger, the hurt, the confusion as to why, but I simply did what Zordon wanted," he began. The previous Rangers' eyes could've bore holes into him. He just continued. "If there was another way, to rid this world of evil, I would've used that way," he finished.

"And why didn't you use _another_ way," Jason questioned with ferocity. His fiancee, Trini, held him back. She reminded him Zordon wouldn't be proud of his actions, if he was to hurt even a hair on the leader of the Space rangers.

"There was _no_ other way," Andros screamed with frustration, and he finally broke down. Though he remained strong after the fact, the weight of what he did came down upon him. He cried because without Zordon he wouldn't have become what he was today.

Karone, his twin sister and former enemy, rushed to her brother's side. Zhane went to where they were. She literally shielded everyone away from them. Protected in their own bubble, she consoled him. "If it wasn't for what I did, then none of this would've happened. Don't blame yourself for my mistakes."

Andros shook his head. "You had no choice," he reminded her.

"Karone, Andros is right. You were under their spell. They wanted you to go against your brother," Zhane, who became unfrozen and looked like a dead ringer for Brad Pitt, also comforted Karone, his love interest. He, then, turned to his best friend, Andros."Zordon's heart is, was, bigger than all of the planets combined. He wanted to sacrifice himself, so we wouldn't have to keep fighting."

The rest of the former Rangers minus the Space Rangers watched them. The trio were in a crystalline bubble. They had never seen anything like that before.

"Yes, I could've fought against the mind control harder," Karone countered.

"Zhane's right, you couldn't have," the man with two hair colors opposed her claim. Then, he spoke to them in the native, Karovian language.

Karone let down the shield, and she faced everyone head on. "I apologize for my actions," she tried to justify what happened. "You all should blame me, not Andros."

"Karone, that's not what I said," Andros tried to stop her.

"KARONE," Zhane barked in anger. "This is not all of your fault. All of this could've been prevented, if it wasn't for those idiots!"

"The three of you stop," Trini interjected with venom laced in her voice, and all attention was on her. "We all have to accept what Zordon wanted. We can play the blame game, we could apologize until we are blue in the face, but that wouldn't bring him back." She hated to see the divide amongst them all.

"Trini's right," Kat agreed. "Zordon wouldn't want us at each other's throat," she gently wiped under her nose.

Zack nodded. "We should respect Zordon's legacy," and he returned to looking at what used to be his safe haven. He looked up to the sky, and he pointed respectfully at the twinkling stars. "He's watching over us."

"I understand what you did," Billy comforted Andros. He had been in Aquitar for a year and a half now, and he understood more about the legends and legacy of the various powers. The Space powers were derived from Eltar, Zordon's home planet, and his wife, Zera, was actually born on the planet of KO-35 all those years ago. "Though, I probably wouldn't be able to accomplish what you did."

"Neither could I," Adam finally spoke up, while squeezing Tanya's hand.

"And I couldn't have done it either," Tanya second, and she looked at her boyfriend, who was really remaining calm under pressure, but then again he always did that.

"Zordon knew what he was doing, and he probably did this because he kept all of us in mind," Aisha supposed, while Rocky held her against him.

"Maybe, Zhane is right. He knew we couldn't continue fighting the world, and this was our time to move on," TJ mentioned, and the previous rangers nodded.

Rocky was the next to speak. "Zordon really looked at us as his children. We couldn't keep this responsibility. It was time for us to go to school or start a career or just continue our lives, and making sure we didn't turn around to the threat of Rita, Lord Zedd, King Mondo, or Divatox, or hell, any other monster coming to attack us."

Kim and Tommy remained quiet. Throughout this whole meeting, they kept taking subtle looks at each other.

"I want to thank Zordon for choosing me as a Power Ranger," Justin, the youngest member of Zordon's era, sincerely acknowledged. "Without him, I wouldn't have met a majority of you, and I am proud to have been a ranger."

"Rest in peace Zordon," Cassie wished, while agreeing with Justin's sweet words.

"Thank you for building this legacy," Ashley sadly smiled. She knew this moment was bittersweet.

"Come on, we should go and get something to eat. Maybe, reminisce about our memories of him," Carlos offered, and he hoped this would bring all of them together, maybe even closer. Like Trini, he wanted there to be unity. They all shared this special secret; fighting shouldn't even be an option for any of them.

As Jason heard everything, he realized he couldn't hold on to all of this anger. He wanted to remember Zordon for the great magical individual he was. After all, Zordon chose him to be the first, Red ranger of Earth. Zordon trusted him to help save the planet, and for that, Jason should've had trust he knew what he was doing when he abandoned his life to make the world a safer place. Trini's fiance agreed with Carlos and he led the way like the first leader of the Power Rangers was born to do.

Almost everyone entered the vehicles, but Kim and Tommy. They weren't exactly ready to part from him for an obvious reason.

"Are you guys coming," Jason called out, though he knew his little sister, Kim, wanted to spend some extra time there. When all was said and done, she had this bond with Zordon that no one could come close to, and he knew Tommy wouldn't let her stay there by herself.

"We'll be down in a few. Meet you at the Youth Center," Tommy queried, and their friends nodded and left.

With that, Tommy and Kim were left alone.

Kim began crying again. Her relationship with Zordon was way beyond mentor and student. Even though she had her own father, she felt Zordon was like another father. One that wouldn't judge her, but he would really guide her through her trials and tribulations. He knew and aided her when it came to the secret. She almost collapsed because the emotions overwhelmed her, but Tommy quickly picked her up.

"Kim, calm down," he softly whispered to her. "Look at me," and through the blurriness, she did what she was told, "it's going to be okay."

"How is everything going to be okay," she almost hissed, as the rage began trickling in, making the sadness disappear. "He's gone, Tommy. He's gone," and she thought about the identity of their son's adopted parents. That was gone too.

"But he did this for all of his 'children'. You heard what everyone said, and they are right."

She nodded. "They are," she acceded, "but that still doesn't make that situation any better."

"I know you're upset, but we have to move on. It's what Zordon would've wanted for us," he wanted to let her cry this out, but he wanted her to snap out of this whirlwind emotions more. Tommy, out of anyone else, was thankful that the evil was gone. He could finally move on and be rid of the power withdrawals. For him, they were really harsh.

"Tommy," Kim called for him once more. She looked deeply into his chocolate, brown eyes. "I get it. I understand the reason, or well, reasons, but have you thought of what happens when we try to look for _him_?"

Thomas 'Tommy' Oliver, leader to three power teams and granted three different colors, hadn't thought thought about that. He sadly sighed.

His fiancee brought up a good point.

After the karate tournament, Tommy and Kim became friends. Tommy was understandably hurt by Kim's harsh words in the letter, and though they had spoke about the truth, they decided to start over. Meaning, the two of them would start as friends and see what would happen from there.

Tommy continued racing for his Uncle John and with his ranger duties. When Zordon departed and in stepped Dimitria, a beautiful woman veiled in white from Inquiris, he felt the dynamics of the rangers was shifting in some way. He wasn't sure what was causing his change of heart, but he knew being a ranger was no longer in the cards for him.

Finally, Dimitria informed him, Kat, Adam, and Tanya that their time was up. They held the power longer than others, while previous rangers left before their time ran up. If they were to ultimately stay, the power was going to be depleted. So, before the unthinkable could happen, it was time to 'pass the torch'.

One day, Tommy was in the car with Kat. Both had contemplated about who to choose as their replacements. Tommy had a lot more on his mind. He believed the time had come for him and Kat to end. Already, he could hear the accusations that this was all Kim's fault, which was untrue. With Kat leaving for England. so she could dance with a ballet company, and them not being a right fit, the factors were unfortunately against them. And then, his mind drifted to his son. He was ready to find him and to see how he has been. At that moment, he was jarred out of his thoughts by the sudden attack by Flamite, which was ,in actuality, a blessing in disguise.

As his replacement, Tommy chose Theodore Jay 'TJ' Jarvis Johnson, a baseball player, who was going to play for Angel Grove High's varsity team. TJ, along with Cassandra 'Cassie' Chan, a young woman with aspirations to be a singer, helped Tommy and Kat when they were in a bind.

After Tommy relinquished his powers, he dreaded the talk he was going to have with Kat, but he knew this needed to happen. At first, she wasn't happy with his choice. She asked if this had to do with her predecessor, and he admitted she was part of it. The truth crushed Kat. He tried to console her, but she wanted him to leave. However, he accepted the truth, and she wished, him, them, the best. And Tommy, thanked her for that.

When Kim returned to Angel Grove, she began her schooling at Angel Grove University. There, she pursued liberal arts with a minor in fashion design. For part time work, she trained young gymnasts. The thought of going to the Olympics entered her mind, but she just wanted to be at home surrounded by friends—one friend in particular by the name of Tommy.

She missed Tommy incredibly. She knew he was going to always be there for her. They were indefinitely bounded, and she wanted him to be by her side. for the rest of their lives. After starting off as friends, they realized how much they meant to one another and decided it was time to try again. Since he was no longer a ranger, and she was back in California, they knew their relationship would work.

And now, here they were, engaged to be married and Zordon was gone, and the thought of not being able to find their son hung over their heads.

"We never did find his whereabouts," he revealed, which caused Kim to solemnly nod. "We were supposed to ask Zordon when he returned from Eltar, but he didn't return."

Tommy believed he would always have some tie to the Power Rangers, and when Zordon returned, he would find out who the newest team was, so he could speak to Zordon himself about their son. And now, he knew that wasn't possible.

"I wanted to ask about him so many times," she admitted, but she sighed. "I never did have the heart to know. To this day, I still think about him and how we could've been parents. It hurts that we might never find him."

And she was right, there wasn't a record of their son's birth anywhere. Zordon and Alpha 5 only knew the truth.

"Alpha 6 wouldn't have known the truth," he thought out loud. "I don't think he would've had that information either."

"I wonder what he looks like" Kim had been thinking about that. She hoped wherever their son was, he was in good hands and very happy. "Tommy, how are we going to find him?"

"Beautiful, we will one day. But right now, I think we've been through too much," he spoke of Zordon's death. "And until we have the means, and we are ready to let others know about this, then we need to move on and sadly put on the brave face that this adoption never happened."

Kim nodded. "It still hurts. Zordon was the closest link to him, and now, it's going to be up to us to find him."

"It's all going to be okay," he pressed his lips against her temple. "Thank you Zordon for everything. I, we, will never forget you."

"We trusted you with everything, and you never did judge us. I love you, and may the power protect you," Kim departed with Tommy.

The couple held hands, as they descended down. Both asked each other if they could've shattered Zordon's tube. And they answered, 'no'. With that, they had respect for Andros. He did something none of them could've done. They sorrowfully sighed, knowing Zordon held the identities of their son's adopted parents and their names perished with his demise.

**Xxxxx**

**January 2000  
Shiba House- Front Porch  
Panorama City, CA**

"Symbol power, paper," Mathew commanded, and he looked to his son. The adjective 'adopted' wasn't needed. He smiled at Jayden, who was looking at him with interest. He placed his Samuraizer back in his pant pocket.

Jayden stared in awe at what his father could do. He hoped his skills would get to that level.

Mathew began to construct the paper into an airplane. "You must be brave Jayden," he looked at his son seriously, while he continued to mold the paper. "One day you'll lead a team of rangers against Master Xandred. I know together you'll rise to the challenge," and once the paper plane was finished, he pulled his arm back and let the red item fly off into the sky.

After Mentor Ji came back with Mathew, he revealed the plan to Nina and Mentor Yaki once again. Mentor Yaki was worried about Jayden's lack of Shiba power. Mathew was also concerned, but he was sure Mentor Ji would help build the necessary power needed.

"I can do this," young Jayden said with determination.

Mathew's phone went off. There was an attack happening at the quarry."Mentor Ji," he summoned, and Ji ran to the front. "Please, take my son," he urgently wished. He called for his powers and left to fight.

Mentor Ji looked down at Jayden, and he led the boy to the living room. There was the easel with bundles of paper, black paint, and brushes. "Jayden, change into the right clothes," he commanded.

Jayden nodded, and he ran back to his room and dressed into the appropriate attire. Then, he went to the easel and began to practice drawing the symbols. He had been practicing for some time now. He understood the logistics, but the little boy felt like he wasn't going to be like his sister or dad, who were very proficient. A little frustrated, he sloppily drew the symbol for fire.

Nothing happened.

Ji watched, and he saw that Jayden was slightly flawed in this area. He walked up to his subordinate. "This stroke isn't right," he said, as he turned the sheet of paper over. "Do it again."

Jayden took a breath, and he did what he was told.

From the opening to the living room, Nina watched the two with some intrigue. She warmed up to Ji quite quickly, and she accepted his duty to help Jayden. The thought of Jayden becoming a stand in was still hard to grasp, but she understood this was necessary.

"Mentor, can I use the bathroom," Jayden asked, while turning to look at him.

Mentor sighed. He clicked his stick, as an 'okay'. He looked at the sheets of paper, and he noticed that Jayden's power was fairly weak. He furrowed his brows, since he didn't understand why.

"Mathew hasn't told you, has he," Nina brought Ji out of his thoughts. She hated to break the news, but she wanted Mentor Ji to understand his task was going to be fairly challenging.

"Told me what," the former Senior Guardian curiously questioned.

Nina took one of the brushes, and she began to draw. There were no symbols involved, but rather a picture. Her talent for painting was so great, and Mentor watched as she drew this elaborate picture in what seemed like three minutes. "Jayden's adopted," she confessed.

Taken aback by the revelation, he gasped in shock. He said the words to himself once more, 'he's adopted'. Now, he fully comprehended why Jayden's power was rather weak. "But, wait, how," he asked, and he was sad for Jayden. On top of being an impostor, he wasn't apart of the Shiba bloodline.

"Jadyden doesn't know," she answered the unasked question on Mentor's face. "We adopted him because the parents were unable to care for him. They were Power Rangers, and they already had too much on their plate. Taking care of a baby would be a burden to them."

"That's to say the least."

Mathew's wife nodded. "So we've been caring for Jayden ever since, and we have never treated him like he wasn't born from my stomach," she further explained.

"What about his birth parents, do they know about him becoming a Samurai ranger," Mentor asked.

"I'm not sure," Nina truthfully replied. "With Mathew learning the symbol power, fighting off Master Xandred's army, and teaching Lauren and Jayden what he knows, I don't believe he's searched for them. Part of me wishes he did because I want to know if they wanted this for their son."

"I don't know if I would want this for my son," Mentor admitted, since he knew the practice and training was heavy. "So, is that why Jayden's symbols aren't as strong as Lauren's?"

"Most likely," Nina answered honestly, and she tore off the paper from the easel. She looked at Mentor. "Jayden is strong. We know this because of his parents; both are, or were, rangers. And I'm sure sure his power will flourish after time and with your guidance," she believed.

"Do you think I can do this," Ji wondered because hew as starting to doubt himself.

Nina nodded. "As soon as you came to live here, I could see you and Jayden bond. Mathew trusts you, and he believes you have what it takes to make Jayden become as good as Lauren," she smiled at him, hoping to boost his confidence. She hoped Ji wouldn't stop training Jayden. "Now, where is that son of mine?"

"I believe he said the bathroom," Mentor had a lot to process that he forgot about his pupil.

"Oh, I can't believe you fell for that," Nina chuckled, and she walked into the kitchen. "Ah, ha," she exclaimed, as she saw Jayden eating cookies.

Mentor walked in and was none too pleased.

**Xxxxx**

**March 2000  
Shiba House- Main Living Room  
Panorama City, CA**

Ike, Blue Samurai Ranger, Ava, Yellow Samurai Ranger, Michael, Green Samurai Ranger, and Linn, Pink Samurai Ranger congregated at the Shiba House. They had just came back from a battle with Master Xandred, and he was being more ruthless than ever. So, they needed to plan what their next step was.

"I say we go in, use all of arsenal, zords, and just to defeat the son of a bitch,," Michael exclaimed, which caused his teammates to shake their head.

"We can't do that," Linn shook her head. "We can't put others, like civilians, at risk."

"Michael, are you crazy," Ike asked. As much as he cared for the Green Samurai Ranger, he knew his ideas were preposterous. "We need to devise a logical plan; that's all."

"Did you see what happened to the Megazord," Ava reminded them. She couldn't believe the grand zord was brought down to its knees like it had. "We are doing our best, but he keeps getting all this power."

Michael sighed heavily; they were right. "What about this symbol Mathew has been learning?"

"I don't like the idea," the Blue ranger said. "He hasn't even fully mastered the symbol, which means it's not complete. He's tried and he's tried, but to no avail. On top of that, The Sealing Symbol could possibly kill him because it will take a lot of symbol power."

"Maybe, he won't get hurt," the Yellow Ranger thought of the brighter side.

The Pink Ranger was really concerned. "Mathew is our friend, and I couldn't live with myself if he got severely hurt because of this," she wished there was another way. "What about Lauren?"

"She knows about the symbol, but she doesn't know how to perform it, just yet," Mentor Yaki stepped inside the living room. "She is working hard, and we were hoping she wouldn't have to use it. However, from what we saw today, she might have to learn."

"She's just a child," Ike stressed, and he shook his head. "Yes, our children are learning about our Samurai ways. Kevin's memorized the archives inside and out."

"Mia's been doing great as well," Linn spoke of her daughter.

"And Serena, accepts her duty," Ava firmly nodded. "What about Mike?"

Michael cleared his throat. "Oh, he's doing great," he didn't want to admit his son would rather play video games than learn about his purpose in life.

Mathew, Nina, Mentor Ji, Lauren, and Jayden stepped into the room to join everyone else. Lauren held her younger brother close to her. Mentor Ji stood next to the kids, and he nodded at Mathew and Nina.

"This is the plan," Mathew took up the leader position. "We will gather our symbol power and use that to defeat Master Xandred."

Everyone in the room yelled in defiance. The thought was crazy, and they knew they could all die if they chose this.

"I just said weapons, but our symbol power," the Green Samurai ranger wasn't too sure about that. "What happened with the seal," Michael almost hissed his question. "I love adventure and taking risks as much as the next guy, but _THIS,_ this is a kamikaze mission."

"Michael's right, we can't use all of our symbol power," Linn said, as she wore her heart on her sleeve. "We have kids, families, there has to be a way," she knew if they used their symbol power their life line might go long with the powers.

Mathew shook his head. "No, there is no other way. As of right now. The seal won't work because I haven't had enough time perfecting it," he told them, and then, he looked at Mentor Ji and Mentor Yaki. The three had come to an agreement in private.

Suddenly, the house began to smell like smoke. The windows imploded, and the loud shattering noise caused Lauren to scream in horror. Nina panicked, and she grabbed her children. She shakily turned to Mathew, who nodded that everything was going to be okay.

"The Moogers are in the front," Mentor Yaki shouted, as looked to the yard.

The Moogers and the rest of the Netherworld had found the home of the Shiba Clan. They were ready to destroy everyone on the property, and they were ready to take their claim on the world. The army stalked the grounds, used arrows enveloped with fire and shot at the property. They entered without shame.

_Everyone_ was to die tonight.

"Ike, Ava, Michael, and Linn, distract them," Mathew furiously ordered his team. Without hesitation they left, and then he turned to the civilians-his family. "Mentor Yaki, it's time."

"Right," Mentor Yaki agreed, and he escaped to the back.

Nina watched her surroundings in sadness, as she was to comply with her husband's wishes. He spoke to her about his plan. He wanted her to go in hiding with Lauren. While Lauren trained, she would watch after her daughter. This was to keep them safe. Nina kissed her husband passionately on the lips, not caring if her daughter or son was watching, or if the world was crumbling beneath them. She loved her husband so much; she had been with him for so long. She couldn't bear to be without him. "Come back to me," she frantically wished, as the tears crashed down. She finally left and didn't look back. If she did, she would run back to Mathew and beg for him to stop the madness.

The Red Samurai ranger hasn't been able to stop the madness since it started. Tonight, he was damn sure going to try.

Mathew bent down in front of his daughter. "I love you so much," he declared, and he kissed her on the cheek. "Learn the _Sealing Symbol_ successfully," he had faith in her, and he nodded at Ji. "Take my daughter to Mentor Yaki. He should be waiting out back."

Ji grabbed Lauren's hand, and they escaped to the back. The older man had to have tough skin. He ignored the little girl's cries for her family. It was heartbreaking. Taking a breath, Ji helped Lauren onto the back of the horse, and he watched the two leave the grounds. He knew this was going to be hard on the family. This type of separation was almost unheard of, but this _had_ to happen. At least, someone was going to carry on the Shiba Clan's purpose.

The Red ranger had been talking to his son. Already morphed into his protective suit, he was telling his son what was expected of him. Yes, he was a stand in. Yes, he was to take on the legacy, and yes, his duty was to protect the Shiba House with Mentor Ji from now on. He still wasn't ready to disclose of his son's adoption, but he didn't think that mattered now.

Jayden was going to amicably deceive everyone by becoming the next Red Samurai ranger, instead of his own child, Lauren.

Mentor Ji resumed his job, and he stood behind Jayden. He aided Jayden in following his dad. He placed his hands firmly on Jayden's shoulders. He wasn't going to let Mathew down, nor was he going to leave Jayden's side at all. He would treat Mathew's son, as if he was his own.

Linn and Ava urgently rushed back to the house. They were out of breath, and they were fighting as hard as they could. But, their energy to combat the evil was slowly diminishing with every blow from the monsters of the Netherworld. It was vital for their leader to come now.

"Mathew, we _need_ you," the two said in unison, and they stopped speaking once they saw Mathew was talking to Jayden. These women knew of the plan for Jayden, and they bowed with much reverence. The young boy was about to initiate a plan neither could ever be apart of or do.

Mathew nodded, and he bent down to look at into his son's eyes. "One day, the great responsibility of being the Red ranger will fall to you. Remember, protect the world from evil, standby your allies, never run from a battle," he handed his son the Lion folding zord. He looked up at Ji with admiration, and he mouthed 'thank you'.With that Mathew immediately rushed into battle to help his team, and he silently said his goodbye to his family.

And the Samurai rangers fought the arduous battle. Ava fell to her knees. Michael's body contorted in an unlikely way. Linn gasped at the stinging sensation of a foot soldier's saber. Ike had been in the front utilizing his Dragon folding zord.

Master Xandred's ultimate goal was destroy the Shiba House and anyone inside, so no more members of the Shiba Family could be produced. He met the struggling Red ranger, his rictus grin on his face couldn't have gotten any bigger. The vial monster extended his sword as far as he could in the air, and he diabolically brought the weapon down. The slash caused the Red ranger to violently collapse to the ground. He laughed at the shallow breaths of his enemy. The prize, the destruction of the Shiba House, was within his fingertips.

At the brink of demorphing, and because this was the last resort, Mathew utilized whatever powers he had left. Straining his weak body further, he brought his Samuraizer up to eye level. The imperfect symbol was drawn, and he watched as Master Xandred became engulfed in lightning, screaming at the unnatural feeling of being sealed away. Then, poof, he was no more-for now.

"Ahhh," the Red ranger's uniform was gone, and there laid the 17th Head of the Shiba Clan in his street clothes. He did it. The threat was gone.

Sadly, it was at his expense.


	5. Chapter 5- The Dreams

**A/N: **Some chapters will be dedicated to solely Tommy, Kim, previous rangers and their life, other chapters will be all about Jayden, and there will be chapters where I'll have both of them.

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone who is reading this story.

* * *

**Chapter 5- The Dreams**

**May 2003**  
**Oliver Residence- Living Room**  
**Reefside, CA**

A little girl of age three ran to her parents.

She was a gorgeous child with caramel, wavy hair that flowed to the middle of her back. Her skin color was with a slight tan, she had very full lips, and her knowing, dolly like eyes dazzled like the tiger's eye gemstone. Anyone who encountered her gravitated towards her because there was this calming air about her. She joyously smiled, as she jumped on her parents' lap.

They were comfortably resting on the couch. They were pooped after today's events. There was a wedding between two past Power Rangers, and they were so happy for them to experience marital bliss like they had been.

Wesley 'Wes' Collins and Jennifer 'Jen' Scott were married earlier in the day. The former Time Force Rangers had to go through what seemed like higher courts to make sure their love was secured through holy matrimony. She was from the future but decided her love for Wes trumped everything. And, she was granted her wish: to stay in the past and be with him for the rest of her life. Now, she could really begin her adult life as Jennifer 'Jen' Scott-Collins.

And little Sophia Anabelle Oliver, Tommy and Kim's young daughter, was asked to be the flower girl at their wedding. The abundance of petite cakes, the boxes of fine, Godiva chocolates as a party favor, and all the different dance tunes seemed to make her more hyper.

"Mommy, Daddy, whatcha doing," she asked, as she curiously looked at everything they were holding.

"Daddy's planning a 'vacation' soon," Tommy spoke about an internship he was leaving for in about a week. He hated being away from his wife and daughter, but he knew what was to come from this trip—advancement in his paleontology career.

"Disneyland," Sophia happily squealed, and she looked at her parents hoping that was the case.

Kim shook her head. "Oh, no, honey," she dissuaded with a smile. "Maybe, when your dad comes back, but for now he's the only one going."

Sophia pouted her lips with much cuteness that warmed her parents' hearts. "Please, please, please, with sugar on top," she practically begged.

Tommy grabbed for Sophia, so she could sit solely on his lap. He looked into his daughter's eyes, and he made sure she paid attention. As much as that might have been hard for other children, who were three years old, that wasn't the case. She obediently stayed put on her father's lap, and she paid very close attention to what he had to say. "When daddy comes back, the first thing we will do is go to Disneyland," he promised, and he held out his pinky.

Sophia's eyebrow rose a little bit, but she believed him. "Promise?" Her dad nodded, and with that, she securely wrapped her pinky around his. She kissed her dad on the cheek.

Kim's eyes filled with happy tears. Each time she watched the interaction between her husband and their daughter, she had to admit she got more emotional than the average parent should. She attributed that to her teen years. Once more, she thought about the child she had given up. She missed him so much, but having Sophia as a daughter eased her emotions.

"Sophia, look," the former Pink Ranger showed her daughter a picture of how she looked at the wedding. With interest, her daughter took a peak. "You looked so beautiful, and you did a great job for Uncle Wes and Auntie Jen."

Sophia smiled.

"Now, it's time we all head to bed," Tommy spoke up, and he was ready to have some alone time with his wife. Knowing he was going to be gone for four months, he wanted to make love to her as often as he could.

"Aw, daddy," their daughter didn't like this one bit. "Each time you guys go to sleep, I hear noises."

The former Green, White, and Red ranger nervously chuckled at his daughter. "What do you mean noises," he asked, as he felt perspiration form on his forehead's surface.

The young girl rolled her eyes. "You know, the trees banging against the windows," she answered as a matter of fact.

"Well, that's not the only thing banging at night," Tommy's wife cheekily murmured, which Tommy heard and motioned for her to cut it out. "And you're very brave because you never enter Mommy and Daddy's room when that happens," she bent down, and she kissed her daughter on the cheek. "Mommy's going to put you in the bed. Say goodnight to Daddy."

"Goodnight, Daddy," little Sophia hugged him, and she followed her Mommy to her room.

Tommy and Kim decorated Sophia's bedroom, as if she was truly a princess. Her pink bed had a canopy and white drapes that flowed down. On the wall, which her bed was against, there was a grandeur castle Kim had painted. Young Sophia also had a desk that housed all of her drawing supplies, a pure, white, almost porcelain, credenza kept her TV, and there was a pretty in pink dresser that contained a majority of her clothes. Her room, like the other bedrooms in the house, had a walk in closet.

Kim tucked Sophia safely into the bed. "In the morning, we'll go to IHOP and get pancakes," she kissed her daughter on the forehead.

"With strawberries," she innocently asked.

"With as many as you want," the mother promised her daughter. "I love you, Sophia."

"I love you too, mommy," the daughter yawned, and she finally closed her eyes. She really did have a great time at the wedding.

Before exiting, Kim made sure to turn on Sophia's night light. She exited to spend some sensual, alone time with her husband.

As Sophia drifted deeper into sleep, her body began to glow pink, and she was cloaked in white afterwards. Usually, she would toss and turn in bed, but tonight, she was as still as 'Sleeping Beauty'.

**(Sophia's Dream)**

_A pink dove with white wingtips arrived in the Sahara Desert. The dove looked around with interest and confusion. Making a cooing noise, once again, the dove made movement. The bird arrived at a pond and pecked at the water._

_Then, in the distance, a red lion began to stalk the dove. Each movement the dove made the lion had to mirror the movement._

_Feeling the lion's eyes, the pink dove's head ascended upwards. The topaz pools curiously looked at the grand figure._

_The lion's jeweled eyes twinkled at the dove's appearance._

_Finally, the dove confronted the lion head on._

_The lion roared._

_The bird flew._

_The lion moved._

_The bird sang._

_Once more, the bird soared into the sky. The lion roamed to the middle of the pond. The bird's shadow cascaded on the king of the jungle. Again, their little dance commenced._

_To the other animals, they watched in awe. The lion wasn't trying to consume the bird for a meal. Instead, the witnesses around them found the two animals playing around, trying to get each other like a game of tag. And, the two kept going at it for hours._

_Deprived of energy, the colorful dove flew down and rested on the tired, red lion's head._

_A couple of hours later, both stirred in their sleep. The dove stared into the red, lion's eyes. A coo exited, as the bird looked at the very prominent eyes, strong features, and the soft and gentle soul of this animal._

_Then, there was a loud **BOOM!**_

_In the distance, fire erupted, as if there was a volcano atop of a mountain. Flames were everywhere, smoke went straight up to the sky, and there seemed to be no stopping this natural made phenomenon._

_A tear escaped the dove's eye._

**(End of Sophia's Dream)**

**Xxxxx**

**Ten Minutes Later  
Oliver Residence- Tommy and Kim's Room  
Reefside, CA**

Tommy rolled onto his back. Sweat laced his hair, covered his neck, back, and the rest of his body. He loved his wife so much, and he knew this was **the** way to show her. And it was also cheaper. He became tired, but he still had to check on her to make sure she was alright.

"Beautiful," he called, and she lovingly looked at him. "Are you okay?"

"Better than okay," she replied with a smile, and she felt his shoulder. The throes of their passion was evident on his back. "Now, are _you_ okay?"

He slightly hissed. "Yeah, I'm fine," he was familiar with her fingernails digging into his back.

And that's how they were, the Olivers were disgustingly in love. They didn't care though, as long as they were happy. Shortly after Zordon's demise, Kim found out she was pregnant. And for the two, there was no question about what to do about the pregnancy. In 2000, they married, and later that year Kim gave birth to Sophia Annabelle Oliver.

Following the wedding, the two bought a house in Reefside, a picturesque town 30 miles west of Angel Grove. Tommy majored in Paleontology, slowly working his way up to becoming a doctor in this field. Kim became a music teacher, and she even thought about having a side business of owning her own fashion store. Tommy agreed she could do both.

The rest of Zordon's era of rangers settled down as well. Jason and Trini married and have three children. Zack got married to his high school sweetheart, Angela. The next to get married was Rocky and Aisha. They had two children. Andros and Ashley life bonded with one child. Surprisingly, TJ and Cassie fell in love, and she had a child with one on the way soon. The next to get hitched was Adam and Tanya, and they currently had a daughter. Carlos just recently became engaged, and like Zack's wife she was a civilian. Justin was still in college at M.I.T, and he had been dating his girlfriend for a year and a half. As for Billy, he was talking to someone. Kat was busy with her dance studio, but made the time for her loving boyfriend. And Karone life bonded with Zhane; the two were talking about starting a family.

"That wedding was truly beautiful," she grabbed his hand, and they laid together intimately. "Jen is so lucky to have a rich husband."

"Hey, what about me," Tommy wondered, and he looked at his wife with playful anger. "You know, we aren't exactly living paycheck to paycheck."

'You're right," she agreed, "but he's like filthy rich."

He rolled his eyes. "Am I going to miss more weddings between Power Rangers," he queried, and Kim sadly nodded. "Make sure to give everyone my best wishes."

Kim kissed him. He was her soul mate, and she hated being away from him for long periods of time. "I will," she thought about the upcoming nuptials between some rangers. "The upcoming weddings are Taylor and Eric, Kelsey and Ryan, and I think Cam and Hunter."

"I'm surprised about one of those."

"Let me guess Cam and Hunter," she hypothesized, since this was not common for any Power Ranger team. A same sex couple was absolutely taboo, but the two were making it known they were in love and willing to become life partners.

"No, Eric and Taylor. They get into an argument within like ten minutes," he reminded her.

"Yes, they may do that, but that doesn't matter. You know he would do anything for her," she mentioned, and her husband nodded.

"_DADDY! MOMMY! DADDY! MOMMY!_," they heard their daughter frantically scream

The parents glanced at one another with instant worry. They immediately got dressed in robes. Mixed emotions enthralled their bodies. They went to her room, and stepped inside. Tommy inspected every single crevice in the room, while Kim consoled their daughter, who had tears trickling down.

"Sophia, what happened," the former Pink ranger asked her daughter.

"The fire, the fire," was all she could say.

"Fire, what fire," Tommy questioned with curiosity, and he looked outside. There was nothing out there, so he wondered his daughter was talking about. "Baby, there's no fire," he then turned to Kim. "She must've had a bad dream."

Sophia wiped her eyes. "The _lion,_ I want the _lion_ here," she cryptically spoke once more. And she faced her parents. "Get _him_ here!"

The parents were dumbfounded by her words.

"I'm going to get her juice and a cookie," Kim shook her head, as she headed for the door. She turned to her husband and opened her mouth once more. "She's sleeping with us tonight."

Tommy agreed that was best. He watched his wife fully exit the bedroom. He, then, picked up his daughter, and he carried her to the master bedroom. He laid her on the bed. Kim was up a few minutes later. She gave her daughter a juice box and a bite of the snicker doodles they got from the wedding. Pretty soon, their daughter closed her eyes and went back to sleep. She nestled in between her parents.

"What was she talking about," Tommy questioned his wife, as he stroked his daughter's waves.

"It really must've been a bad dream," Kim replied. She pecked her daughter's cheek. She hoped the dream would never happen for Sophia again.

The Oliver family slept comfortably for the rest of the night.

**Xxxxx**

**July 2003  
Shiba House- Jayden's Room  
Panorama City, CA**

**(Jayden's Dream)**

_Both stirred in their sleep. _

_The red lion released a hefty yawn, and then, stared into the dove's innocent eyes. The lion listened to the angelic coo released from its beak. _

_Then, there was a loud **BOOM!**_

_In the distance, the fire erupted. Watching the smoke spewing from the mountain top, all the lion wished to do was protect the dove, get the dove out of harm's way._

_A tear escaped the dove's eye._

_The red lion finally became overwhelmed with emotion as well. The burning sensation of a tear was felt._

_Roaring in pain, the screech rumbled throughout the jungle. The lion tried to recapture the dove, but the dove rapidly flapped its wings and left with no word, no song, no coo. The lion continued to look around, hoping the dove wasn't too scared._

_A turtle, bear, ape, and dragon suddenly appeared. Every step the lion took back, these animals approached. Suddenly, feeling like he had nowhere to go, the dragon was the first to come forward, followed by the bear and ape. Finally, the little turtle slowly walked._

_Confused the red lion roared and roared. In the distance, there was the snow white colored falcon down on the ground. The pink colored crane mourning right beside. The dove, the one from earlier, comfortably protecting the two other birds. _

_Upon seeing the trio of birds, the Red lion, without hesitation, became a phoenix._

**(End of Jayden's Dream)**

School aged Jayden, unaware his body had been glowing red, immediately rose from his restless night's sleep. He rushed to the bathroom, and he splashed his face with water. He looked at himself in the mirror. He appeared to be fine, though, yesterday, he took a hefty, staggering blow.

Ji ended practice after that, and he wanted his prized student to take the rest of the day off. And Jayden did take it easy, but he was worried about going to bed.

This dream was common—a red lion, a pink dove with white tips, and the explosion. However, the ending was extremely different than before. A falcon, a crane, the animals of the Samurai, and the phoenix; that was not the usual.

_"Jayden,"_ Mentor Ji called. _"Breakfast!"_

Jayden quickly dressed in his training robes and headed to the kitchen. He smelled the fresh fruit Mentor Ji cut, the egg whites that were freshly cooked, and the bread that was slightly toasted. He sat down to the meal.

"Ji, this looks great," the young boy complimented.

"You're welcome," Mentor accepted the acknowledgment.

The radio played in the background, and Jayden overheard the news story.

"Mentor, can you turn that up a little bit?"

Mentor did as told, and the two listened to the broadcast.

_"Can you believe this?_  
_An island off the coast of Australia suddenly became engulfed by an explosion. There had been paleontologists, including the famous Dr. Anton Mercer, assistants, interns and even some family on that island. There were studies being conducted. At first, there seemed to be no survivors, until, off the shores, there were two, pink shining dots that could be seen."_

_"Two, pink shining dots,"_ another commentator repeated with some inquiry in her voice. _"What exactly were those dots?"_

_"No one could exactly figure that out, but let's just be thankful. There did end up being a survivor, and his name is Thomas James Oliver was the sole survivor"_

_"Wow, now, that has to be a survivor's tale for the books,"_ the commentators finished the story.

Jayden rapidly ascended from his seat, and he went to turn off the radio. He turned to Mentor, firmly, yet nervously nodded, and he went to sit down to finish his breakfast.

Mentor Ji's eyebrow rose. "Jayden, does that story mean something to you," he inquisitively asked his pupil, who was more like a son to him. For the past three years, he had been helping Jayden train, the young boy wasn't one for the news or listening to the radio either. Honestly, Jayden was committed to his studies, and he had been making definite strides.

"Oh, no, Mentor, you know, I don't watch the news."

"Right, you don't watch the news," the former Senior Guardian repeated as he wiped down a dish. "The interesting thing is you weren't watching the news, now were you?"

The soon to be Red Ranger smacked his head slightly.

"You're having that dream again, aren't you," Mentor asked, while he made himself a plate.

The older man didn't know how to help Jayden exactly. He was concerned, since the dream would sometimes affect Jayden during a mock battle. Ji, with some stress evident, sighed. At first, the young trainee had a problem with cartoons. The TV was the first to go out the window. Then, Antonio Garcia, a boy Jayden had met at the fisherman's market, deterred Jayden from learning more. Thankfully, for Ji, the young boy had moved away. On top of that, Mentor couldn't find the Octozord. And now, there was this recurring dream.

The dream started a couple of months ago. Jayden would definitely lose sleep because he would stay up trying to decipher what the dream meant. He asked his Mentor what was his interpretation of the dream. Ji answered this was maybe his dad's way of communicating from the grave. And, Jayden wished that was the case. Sadly, his last memory of his dad was when he was given the folding zord; then Mathew died ten minutes later.

At his dad's closed casket funeral, Jayden cried. He looked around, hoping he was going to get some hope and comfort. That wasn't going to happen; he was sad that his mom nor sister could attend. So, he took it upon himself to pay respect on their behalf's. His dad was gone, his sister and mom were far away, and Jayden felt alone. He definitely consumed himself with all of the practicing. This was his dad's plan, and he understood. For the plan to work the brother and sister could never visit one another, they couldn't even wish each other a happy birthday, nor talk over the phone. They really had to act like the latter didn't exist.

If this dream was his dad's way to let him know how his mom and sister were doing, then Jayden had fear gurgling within him.

"Ji, what does my dream mean," he asked like a broken record player.

"Jayden, I don't know, but if I did, you know I would tell you," he honestly replied. "Why don't you get an extra hour of sleep? I'll come get you when I think you're ready." He mentally cursed himself for making Jayden think this was a sign from his dad. He watched Jayden. The young man was definitely conflicted about something.

The '18th Head of the Shiba Clan' consequently nodded. He left the kitchen and returned to his room. He crawled into bed and began to sob slightly. He wished his family was here to help him.


	6. Chapter 6- The Confession

**A/N:** This chapter will solely focus on Zordon's 12 and takes place after Tommy bonds with the Black Dino Gem.

**A/N:** I'm going to try and stay as close to canon as possible. Hope everyone is enjoying this story!

* * *

**Chapter 6- The Confession**

**September 2004**  
**Hayley's Cyberspace**  
**Reefside, CA**

"So, the two people that gather everyone together is late for their own meeting," Trini stated, as she looked at her watch. She irritably rolled her eyes. "Where the hell are they?"

"Tri, calm down," Jason defended his best friends, and he pulled a chair for her sit down. "Tommy and Kim will be here soon."

"Yeah, but _he_ doesn't exactly have the best track record," Zack reminded them of their high school years. "I'm surprised he was on time for his own wedding."

"We should give Tommy the benefit of the doubt," Billy second Jason's opinion. He received his strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry smoothie. "Thank you," he flirtatiously smiled at the waitress, who doubled as the owner of the establishment they were at.

Hayley brightly smiled at Billy. "Tommy's going to be here soon," the owner of the place informed them all. "He has a big surprise to tell you guys."

Hayley, the owner of Hayley's Cybercafe, had been taking drink orders, making drinks and serving them to the occupants in her establishment. She was glad to have been accepted by all of them. The beautiful red head met Tommy and Justin before she met the rest of the former rangers. By chance, she found out their unique secret, and she promised to keep that to herself. She assured and reassured the two could trust her. And there was some backlash, but eventually that subsided. She was an honorary Power Ranger like other civilians and has helped Tommy to develop the Dino Thunder technology, which was a new source of power.

In addition to Jason, Trini, Zack, and Billy being present, the rest of Zordon's twelve was there or about to be there.

Jason and Trini were happily married with three children, Brennan and twins Kayla and May . Jason became a co-owner of a dojo with Rocky and Adam in Angel Grove. Trini balanced her life as mom, wife, and prosecutor for the Angel Grove district courts.

Zack and his wife, Angela, traveled all over the country due to Zack's job. He had become one of the best choreographers in the United States, and this was one of the rare times he was in town. In addition, Angela was expecting their first child—a boy to be named Ahmad Jayceon Taylor. Due to her being tired quite often, she opted to stay home, so Zack could attend this gathering.

Billy was still between Earth and Aquitar, for now. He's helped all of the incarnations of the Power Rangers up to this point. He was a staple amongst the ranger teams. Most recently, he's forged a close friendship to Hayley. Both had a definite hand in making the Dino Thunder rangers what they were today. Part of him was willing to stay primarily on Earth, so he could be with her. He kept taking subtle glances at her.

Aisha was working her way up to become Dr. Campbell-DeSantos. She was possibly thinking of dropping the 'Campbell', since she felt it was such a mouthful. She loved working with animals and eventually, she would open her own veterinary practice. Until she opened her practice, Rocky made sure to have plenty of income coming in in as an owner/instructor of the dojo he co-owned with Adam and Jason. He also cared for their son and daughter- Rocky Jr and Nadia.

Adam worked with both Jason and Rocky. He did a majority of the paperwork, helped in the front, and sometimes he would coach soccer on the weekends. For Tanya, she became a stay at home mom to their kids, a son and daughter. Their names were Adrian and Kaylani. Occasionally, she found work as a substitute teacher. She believed once the kids were in school full time, then she would return to the workforce.

Justin graduated from M.I.T, and he proposed to his girlfriend out there. Sadly, she declined because she knew his intentions were to move back to California. She wished to stay in her hometown of Boston. Understandably, he was crushed. He moved back to Angel Grove, where he planned to get a job at the NASADA Base and move on with his life.

Kat had just arrived, as she received the message from the Falcon and Crane. She furrowed her brows in confusion. "Where's Tommy and Kim," she questioned them, and she ordered a drink from Hayley. Katherine 'Kat' Hillard owned two dance studios. After her tenure with a famous dance academy in England, she moved back to California, and that's where she met her husband. Mike Corbett of the Lost Galaxy rangers became entranced with Kat from the first time they met. They began to date, and he proposed a year later.

"This must be important if they called all of us together," Justin speculated, while wiping down tables.

Once more, the door to the cafe open, and the last two of Zordon's era was there. They immediately went up to everyone and gave hugs and kisses. They loved meeting up with old friends and chatting about what was going on in their lives.

The, now, Black Dino Thunder ranger walked up to Kat. They embraced for a little. To this day, their friendship was a little rocky. Though, she had married, and though, he's made it clear Kim was the one for him, there was a bit of animosity between the two.

"Hello, Tommy," Kat greeted with a feign smile.

"Glad you could make it Kat. I'm sure Mike wanted to accompany you," Tommy responded, hoping she still wasn't mad at him or Kim.

"He got called in," the past Pink Zeo and Turbo ranger stated succinctly, and she went to sit down with Justin.

Tommy nodded, and he went to sit with Kim. They were on a couch, facing the tables where their friends, who were more like family, were seated at. The husband and wife nervously smiled at one another. They called this meeting for two reasons, and they knew they had a lot of explaining to do. For that reason, they asked their friends drop their kids weren't present. That's one of the reasons why Tommy and Kim were late, they had to drop Sophia off with Kira, the Yellow Dino Thunder ranger.

"Nice of you to be late, Falcon," the first leader of Power Rangers on Earth joked. He placed his arm around Trini. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, you summon all of us together, and you're the one late," Rocky huffed under his breath, while biting into his wrap.

Aisha smacked his arm like she usually did when she felt like he was out of line. "Hey, give him some time to explain, will you," she demanded with some force.

Justin nodded in agreement. "They just got here. Don't be so rude."

"Tommy, would you like something to drink before you tell them," Hayley nicely questioned, and when she saw the head shake, she nodded and went to sit like everyone else did. Coincidentally, she took a seat next to Billy.

"So, I guess you're all wondering why we gathered you here," Tommy uneasily began. He made eye contact with each and every one of his former teammates. Some were closer like brother and sister, and he was thankful to have them in his life. "Well, you know after the island explosion, I escaped with the Dino gems."

Billy saw how tense Tommy was; he was familiar with the Dino gems."Oh, God," he murmured in disbelief. Everyone turned to him. "A gem has bonded to you."

Hayley loved Billy's intelligence, but for the first time he was partially wrong. She remained quiet, so Tommy could explain the story to them.

"Well, not exactly," Kim shook her head. She didn't mind the interjection because nerves were traveling throughout her body like the speed of light. She agreed with her husband it was time to reveal the secret they had been keeping for the past decade.

"Yeah because if that was the case Tommy would be wearing Red," Adam reminded them that the color of their power suit would dictate the color that was common in their closet.

"Or maybe Blue," Kat almost laughed at the thought of Tommy taking up another color.

"There was also a Yellow gem," the former Yellow, Tanya, cheekily said. "Tommy, I love you, but yellow is definitely not your color."

All of the former rangers kept talking about how ludicrous it was for Tommy to become a ranger. They mentioned age, the possibility Tommy stealing everyone's color, and they spoke about how he was only supposed to be a mentor to a group of rangers.

"Wait, no, that's not possible," Trini halted them from speaking further. "There's already a Red, Yellow, and Blue ranger. Remember, Conner, Kira, and Eathan, so there has to be another reason for this meeting."

Once more, the chattering commenced.

"Stop," Kim attempted to stop them from talking. She was having a hard time speaking over 12, 13 if Hayley was included, voices. "STOP, NOW!," she furiously yelled, as her eyes flashed pink in anger.

Everyone became quiet as a mouse. The guys gulped; the females knew she was very serious about this talk. They quickly apologized to the couple.

"Tommy, why exactly are we here," Kat got them back on track. She was careful to not upset Kim.

"There's no easy way to explain this, but I am a ranger," the, now, Black ranger spit out. He looked at his friends, and they began to laugh.

Zack was able to put two and two together. His laughter rapidly disappeared upon knowing the color Tommy had become. "You had to steal mine and Adam's color, didn't you," he knowingly questioned at the black, tight shirt Tommy was wearing.

Jason shook his head. "What does that make, four? Damn, Tommy, color stealer," he kept clowning on his 'brother'.

"Ha, ha, ha," Tommy tersely commented, and he looked at Kim. She nodded it was time. "That's not the only reason why we called you here."

"It's not," Hayley thickly wondered, and she looked at how serious the married couple were. She had been thrown for a loop. Upon hearing Tommy's joke about 'shortage of black in his closet', she laughed it off. When he requested for her to close the cafe, so former rangers could come here and talk about this, she agreed. Now this, she was surprised. "What else could there be to talk about," she asked.

The Falcon and Crane Ninjetti decided to let their friends know about the child they bore in high school. While shopping for more black to go inside their closet, the husband and wife confidentially spoke about how the power seemed to follow him. He also brought up that the evil beings loved to capture him. Though, he would gladly be captured, as long as Kim and his daughter were out of harm's way. So, the two came to the conclusion. They were essentially never safe, and if anything was ever to happen to Tommy, Kim, Sophia, or all three of them, then they would want their closest friends to find _him, _on their behalf of course.

"This must be serious," Rocky exhaled a small whistle. Before it was all fun and games, but now, he felt like the 13 of them were at a funeral. He observed the serious looks on Tommy and Kim, the Falcon and Crane.

"Have an open mind about what we are about to say," Kim started with hesitation, while fumbling with her thin fingers. She faced everyone, head on, and she put the bravest face she could gather on her face. Her husband placed a comforting hand on her right shoulder. He was behind her one hundred percent.

"We will," the first Yellow ranger of Earth promised, and she looked at everyone else, and they all nodded.

Kim blew out a weighty breath. "It was in high school. Tommy and I fell in love, as most of you know," she smiled small; she remembered the quips about her and Tommy from Jason, Trini, Zack, and Bily, "and, we decided to take our relationship further than just kissing."

"So you and Tommy began to bonk each other," Rocky irreverently stated, and then he thought about their class trip in high school. "I'm not exactly surprise. You guys did do it like monkeys in Australia."

"ROCKY" everyone else hissed. Aisha smacked his arm, and Jason slapped him upside his head.

"Hey," the Ape Ninjetti yelped in pain.

Tanya was a little disgusted. "So, you and Tommy started to have sex," she asked, and Kim slowly nodded. "That happens between two people, and it commonly does start in high school," she rambled.

Aisha agreed. "Yeah, it's not like you guys got pregnant and had a baby," she, then, observed Tommy and Kim's next movements. She gasped, as they flinched at her statement. "Oh my God!"

Everyone in the room became eerily quiet. They questioningly looked at one another, and then they turned to the people, who called this meeting. Some had dubious looks, others' eyes practically bugged out of their socket.

"No," Trini incredulously murmured under her breath.

"Aisha can't be right," Kat skeptically said. "Please say Aisha isn't right."

For the first time since he arrived there, Rocky stopped eating. He tossed more looks toward Kim and Tommy. "Aisha must be right, look at them," he motioned for everyone to stare and the married couple.

Jason was shocked at the revelation. "Say it," he angrily demanded. His little sister and best friend remained quiet. "Damn it, say the fucking truth," he ordered them.

For him, he felt the most betrayal. He had grown up with Kim, since they were four years old. Just because they didn't have the same parents, that didn't mean they weren't siblings in some way. He told Kim everything, and he believed she would tell him everything. And when she spoke about sending a 'Dear John' letter to Tommy, he was the one telling her to talk to him. He truly had her back.

Since Tommy came to Angel Grove, and after he was relieved of Rita's evil spell, they acted like they were two peas in a pod. Tommy was the first one to know about his crush on Trini, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to know about Tommy's attraction to Kim. After all, his best friend called him to come back to Angel Grove to become the Gold Zeo ranger. And when his power withdrawal occurred, his best friend, who was a brother helped him cope.

And now this.

Two people he was closest to kept a pregnancy from him.

"Jase, man, calm down," Zack touched Jason's wrist. He felt the anger emanating.

"Listen to Zack," Billy wanted, needed, for Jason to comply.

"You had a baby," Adam questioned in a neutral tone. He didn't want to attack his former leader and teammate; he wanted to listen to what they had to say.

"November 11, 1994, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. He had no hair, but the most gorgeous and clear blue eyes. He was so innocent, and he would firmly grip my finger into his tiny hands, and I have never felt more love for a person until that moment right there," Kim spoke from the bottom of her heart, as the water welled in her eyes. "We're sorry we kept this from you guys."

"Wait, 1994," Hayley cautiously said, and she comfortingly smiled at the two. "Weren't you guys Power Rangers? How could that happen?"

"She had to have received help from Zordon and Alpha 5," Billy answered, as he thought back to their time in high school. "It makes sense. Kim would feel sick before school, and then she would stay after a battle in the Command Center."

"And knowing Zordon was from Eltar and Alpha 5 from Edenoi, they probably gathered resources to make sure she never showed or was harmed in a battle," Justin logically figured, and he looked at his former leader, who was like a big brother, and his big 'sister'. "This must've been really hard on you two."

"It was," Tommy readily agreed, and he was happy his friends were being a bit more understanding. "We were young; we didn't know what else to do. You know Kim's mom never really did like me."

Trini agreed. with a soft chuckle. "No kidding, she would always say, 'that grease monkey with that dirty ponytail will not come near my daughter'," she mimicked, and then she looked at her two closest friends. "What made you guys tell us now?"

"Did something happen to him," Kat wondered in a small voice. She looked directly into Tommy's eyes, and she read how sorry he was. Then, she stared at Kim, who looked apologetic too. The successor was hurt by this confession. She was hurt by this confession. Again, she never wanted the break up. She believed Tommy would continue racing, while she followed her dance dream, and eventually, the two of them would be able to spend the rest of their lives together. And she honestly thought that was possible; Kim did end things with Tommy. Sadly, though, he wasn't in love with her. He was hopelessly devoted to Kim. The truth stung Kat. Now, she understood why the bond between her ex and her predecessor was so strong despite a letter, distance, and _her_; they had history and a son together. Nothing could ever break the two apart.

"No," Tommy truthfully replied. "We don't know anything about him to be honest."

"What do you mean, you don't know anything about him," Tanya curiously asked, and she looked over at Kat, her best friend. She wondered how Kat was taking the news.

"We don't have a name, or who he went to, and we're not sure if some how Rita, Lord Zedd, or any other evil monster had found out about him," Kim disclosed.

"What exactly happened," Zack queried, as he backtracked. He pondered he missed the signs of Kim's pregnancy.

Tommy and Kim replied with the whole story. They didn't leave a single detail out. They spoke of how Zordon and Alpha 5 did aid her throughout the pregnancy. She felt every single aspect of what a pregnancy should be, even if she wasn't showing. She told them about the arduous labor, and how hard it was to give their son up for adoption. Zordon chose the parents, and they had trust Zordon would send their son to live with a loving family. And, they had to act like nothing happened after the birth

"That was probably the hardest thing to do," Kim described vividly. "Go back to school, fight the forces of evil, and continue on with my life."

"You still could've told us. We would've helped you," Jason still didn't understand this, nor could he wrap his head around the monstrous secret. He was going to be an uncle. Not that he wasn't an uncle now, but he would've been there for Tommy and Kim regardless.

"Bro, do you have any idea how embarrassed we were," Tommy asked him. Jason shook his head. "Kim, this gymnastics star, me, trying to find my way in the world, and we have this son, all the while trying to balance high school and fighting Rita and Lord Zedd. Not to mention, I was going through the power exiting me."

"We just did what we thought was right, for him," Kim stated truthfully. "We didn't want him to be apart of the ranger life."

"And now that Tommy's a ranger again, you want us to help you find him because of the unknown," Trini wisely deducted.

Tommy and Kim keenly nodded.

"We don't want him to think we've never thought about him, and we do want to explain to him our reasons. He deserves that much," Kim figured.

"And, in case something happened to me or Kim because of _this_ life, at least you guys know, so you can continue the search. At least, we would hope you would help us," Tommy hoped, as he looked at each and every one of his friends.

"Of course we will help you find him," Jason was the first to volunteer, which was quite a surprise to the others. The first Red and Gold ranger had to let go of the past. His best friends were in a tough jam. He wanted to help. "My nephew is out there, and we need to find him."

The Falcon and Crane were very thankful.

Zack agreed with Jason. "That's the first ever Power Ranger child. He definitely made his mark already," he smirked.

"So, where do we start," Adam asked everyone. He understood their reasons, and he believed they've been punished enough.

And everyone else agreed to help Tommy and Kim. At first, they were surprised, a bit angry, about this shocking secret. However, they had to place themselves in their shoes. Protecting the world, studying in high school, and taking care of a child didn't mix well.

Although Dr. Oliver still has some of the same issues like he did in high school, he believed he had a better balance of his personal and ranger life now. He was a teacher, helping foster a group of teenagers into becoming the best Power Rangers they could be, and he had Kim by his side. She definitely understood this life and wasn't a Power Ranger anymore. Not to mention, both had the means to provide their daughter with a privileged life.

They hoped their son wouldn't be mad at them. They just wanted to meet him and see how he was doing.

"Um, Tommy, Kim," Billy called, while writing down ideas of what databases to search for their friends' son , who would've been about nine. "What's his name?"

Bewildered, Tommy and Kim didn't know how to answer that.

These past rangers just encountered a big roadblock.


	7. Chapter 7- The Letter

**A/N:** All about Jayden in this chapter. His 'Ninjetti' powers seem to be kicking in. Daisuke recommends a ludicrous thought to Ji.

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews! xoxo **Kctimes2.**

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**Chapter 7- The Letter**

**November 2006**  
**Tengen Gate**  
**Undisclosed Location**

Arriving at the Tengen Gate for a weekend of training and more privacy, Jayden respectfully bowed at the memorial, which commemorated the first Nighlock attack. He, then, made his way to the graves of the previous Shiba Heads. And there, he stopped at one in particular.

"Mathew Christopher Shiba  
17th Head of the Shiba Clan  
1969-1999  
Dutiful Red Ranger, Loving Husband and Father"

"I miss you, dad," he bent down in front of his father's grave, and his fingertips brushed against the granite. This was as close as he could get to his dad. "I understand my duty as the Red ranger, and I know what I need to do. This is to give Lauren time, and to make sure we still have someone to protect the Earth against the Nighlock," he sadly smiled. Unlike the other Red Samurai rangers, he was also conditioning himself to not become attached to the future Blue, Green, Pink, and Yellow ranger. "I'll make you proud," he lowly whispered, and he rubbed the tombstone reverently once more.

He walked a few feet more, and he was greeted by the Elder Guardian. He bowed once again. "Daisuke," he greeted happily, "it's nice to see you."

The last time the two came in contact, it was for Mathew's funeral.

Daisuke warmly smiled, and he opened his arms, so he could wrap them around Jayden. After their embrace, he took a very good look at the trainee. "And Jayden, it's nice to see you once more. My, you have grown a foot or more since the last time I spoke to you," he commented in a tender manner.

"Yes, I just keep growing and growing," the young teen lightly joked.

The future Red ranger looked at his surroundings very carefully. The sun was brightly shining, the flowers of the cherry blossoms were falling to the ground gracefully, and the cool wind blew against his body. He loved being here because it was so peaceful. He also liked having the easy access to his dad's grave, so he could have private conversations.

"Jayden," Daisuke broke the moment of silence for some serious talk. "Everyday, I feel _they_ are going to escape the hold your dad has placed on them." Blue, Sapphire eyes looked at him earnestly. He continued. "Are you ready to lead your own team of rangers?"

"Daisuke, they are not _my_ team of rangers," he reminded him, sadness clearly evident in his voice. "I will guide them, teach them what I know, provide the Samuraizers, but that's it. I don't need to bond to them."

Again, the words pained Jayden. At this point, he was 12 years old. He was growing at a rapid pace, physically, mentally and emotionally. It wasn't that Mentor was drilling into him he was a kagemusha, an imposter, he simply grasped the concept very well and a little too literally.

"You're very wrong. Friendship is good for the soul, and you're going to need them as much as they need you," the Elder wished Jayden would understand that. However, the young man seemed to be very set on his ways."Clean up, one of the Senior Guardians is going to accompany you to the meditation room."

"Yes," Jayden bowed, and he left to meditate.

Daisuke stood and felt the wind caress against his body. As if the wind was telling him something, he nodded and left to tend to the Junior Guardians.

**Xxxxx**

**10 Minutes Later  
Tengen Gate- Meditation Room  
Undisclosed Location**

Dressed in all red robes, Jayden took off his black slippers at the door of the calming room. He carefully stepped inside, and he walked to the shrine of the Japanese God of war and archery, Hachiman. The red, jade stone was ornately carved to depict a slightly plump man with a bald head, closed yet content eyes, dressed in traditional Japanese garbs, and sat atop an open lotus flower. In his hands, the God held a scepter. Often, samurai warriors worshiped this deity for protection and hope.

Jayden curved his body forward to pay tribute to this God. He rubbed the figure for good luck.

Sitting on the crimson mat, he cascaded down elegantly. His left foot on top of his right knee, right foot on top of left knee, so he could assume the correct meditative position. He comfortably rested the palms of his hands on his knees, and he closed his eyes, hoping for a peaceful session. Slowly, he inhaled, and deeply, he exhaled. His body was content, however, his mind drifted into familiar territory.

Once more, his body was consumed with red energy. A minute later, white light was layered on top of the red to form pink. Now, he was completely cloaked in paranormal light.

**(Jayden's State of Mind)**

_Once more, the Red Lion became acquainted with the beautiful dove. The king of the jungle followed the unique wing-tipped bird, and they traveled through the land. As much as the Red Lion wanted to play and enjoy this time with its 'friend', the flying animal was serious like it was on a quest. For hours, they moved along, stopping once in a while to drink water, or for the Lion to satiate its carnivorous hunger._

_Arriving at the brim of a volcano, this one different than the **other,** the dove rapidly flew away. There wasn't a warning, or a slight clue._

_The Lion roared in confusion and hurt at losing its companion so suddenly._

_The cry could be heard for a few hundred miles._

_Fear erupted within the Lion upon seeing what was now in its vicinity. The lion's paws trailed backwards, fear building within its limbs._

_A Red Tyrannosaurus Rex appeared out of nowhere, followed by a Yellow Saber-Toothed Tiger, a Blue Triceratops, and a Black Mastodon. A Pink Pterodactyl quickly spewed out of the ruptured crust, cawing strongly to make their presence known. Not too long after, a Green Dragon languidly appeared. Every step of the dragon, became shorter, almost weakened._

_Finally, the dragon collapsed._

_The king of the dinosaurs stomped towards its fallen comrade, shrieking commands for the followers. Red, Yellow, Blue, and Black left immediately, while the flying dinosaur stayed by the fallen dragon's side._

_Red Lion couldn't stay back. With some deliberation, the animal hurried to help. Upon arriving, the Pterodactyl's wings widely opened and flew towards the sky, disappearing into the sun. The green dragon immediately stood upright, walking away from the 'help'. Feeling alienated once more, the Lion swiftly moved to catch up. _

_The scene around the Red Lion changed. There was no more dry brush land, isolated puddles of water, and browned, dry trees, instead the king arrived at a tropical rainforest._

_The picturesque scene was unlike the usual setting the lion was accustomed to. The branches cracked under each heavy step of the animal's paw. The dewy air tickled the lion's stout whiskers. The leaves of hydrated, healthy, prosperous trees with bundles of wild orchids laced throughout prevented any rays of light from coming through. Roaming the forestry grounds aimlessly, the lion eventually became restless. Finding a resting spot, the lion stretched its body as far as it could, butt in the air, front limbs extended to the front. A yawn exited its mouth, and the giant, cat like creature laid on its stomach and went to the slumber 'lands'. _

_Once more, a Pink Turtle arrived. Slow and steady definitely won this race. The amphibian with a shell inched and inched closer to the much bigger animal, undeterred by the monstrous size. Finally, it rested on the lion's paw, comfortably, almost intimately. _

_A trio of birds watched the pair. _

**_(End of Jayden's State of Mind_)**

Finally ending his meditative state, Jayden cautiously looked around his surroundings. He was on high alert. His body was drenched with sweat, making his garbs darker in color than the first time he stepped into the room. Dirty blonde locks of hair stuck to his forehead, side of his head and back of his neck. His breathing was still quite shallow, and he took his time to recover. Once he resumed normal breathing, he stood up. Abruptly, the young teen headed to the front of the room and opened the door.

Then, he went to undress from his soiled training gear and into his normal street clothes. He went to seek solace from the Guardian that ran this place. He approached the man, so much defeat present on his juvenile features.

"Jayden," Daisuke questioned curiously about the 18th Shiba Head's current state. "Are you alright?"

"I-I-I, uh, I'm fine, I think," he stumbled over his words, while basking in the much needed dose of vitamin D. The wind also aided in soothing his ever rampant thoughts. He finally broke the eye contact he had with the Elder Guardian. Oddly, he felt ashamed for looking like how he was. "I'm sorry Daisuke. I don't know what's going on with me."

"What do you mean?"

Again, the trainee faced his Elder. He sighed before opening up the truth. "I've been having these dreams at night," he hesitantly began. "They've been going on for the past few years, and I'm not sure what they mean."

Placing a comforting hand on Jayden's shoulder, he led the young boy to the common area. He summoned a Junior Guardian, and he requested for Jayden to have a nice, tall, chilled glass of water. They sat at the elongated table, the same table Mathew and Mentor Ji had their first meeting Once Jayden received the calorie free liquid that would cure his thirst, Daisuke ordered for Jayden to fully elaborate.

Jayden explained them, and he mentioned the common factors: a red lion and a pure, white dove with pink wingtips. His face read as bewildered, stressed and also free. Besides Mentor, no one else knew of these recurring illusions that only occurred at night. He wished for an explanation, guidance, or some help to cure them.

Daisuke was surprised by the story Jayden was vividly recalling. He scanned his brain, wondering if Mathew, Jayden's deceased dad, had mentioned anything about the birth parents. He didn't recall anything in particular, other than the fact they were very young and Power Rangers. There wasn't a Dove Zord. At least, not one he could call right off the bat. He continued listening, feeling a little sorry for Jayden. Most of the young man's hours of the day were consumed with training, and the rest he could get, in the form of sleep, didn't alleviate his sore muscles. Instead, sleep was hampered.

"Is this my dad's way of saying something to me," the next Red Samurai ranger hopefully questioned.

"I, uh the dinosaurs, the birds, I am unsure," the Elder Guardian truthfully answered, while trying to let Jayden down gently. Although, the Elder actually believed another force was behind these. The force in question, he wasn't too sure of. Sadly, he wouldn't be able to deliver comfort to him."You've had a long day. Why don't you rest?"

"I don't think I can rest," Jayden gulped his water down. The cooling sensation was able to relieve some stress.

"Meditation won't help, as you've already proven," Daisuke said as a reminder. "The next best thing would to sleep."

"And sleeping hasn't done any better," the next Red Samurai ranger also reminded him, while fiddling with his empty cup. He wasn't sure what to do. In no time, he gave in. He figured at least an hour or two would surely put him in a better state. He ascended on his feet, another Junior Guardian accompanying him to his room. The two left.

Daisuke came to a conclusion, Jayden needed to be relieved of his sleepless nights.

And, he knew how that would be done.

**Xxxxx**

**One Week Later  
Tengen Gate  
Undisclosed Location**

Mentor Ji made his way to the Tengen Gate. He was to guide Jayden back to the Shiba House. He had to admit, the grand house did feel lonely without his pupil being there. It had been almost a decade since Mentor decided to leave his life as a Senior Guardian to become a teacher to a young boy. At first, he believed the task was daunting. After all, Jayden wasn't the biological child of Mathew and Nina. Lauren was _really_ the 18th Head of the Shiba Clan.

Also, everything that could've gone wrong did go wrong.

For example, Jayden's power wasn't as advanced as Lauren's. He would try and try, but acquiring the power didn't come as easily as a member of the Shiba Family. Second, there were times the young boy wished to quit, so Lauren could come home so she could resume her right. And then, there were those dreams that would deter the young teen from progressing forward.

But, things surely had to get worse before they got better—a lot better.

Mentor couldn't believe Jayden's progression in the last couple of years. His symbol power was through the roof. His swordsmanship was impeccable, and Ji believed his young pupil had the strength, tenacity, and resiliency to lead his own team. There were definitely many factors against this kid, but it's obvious they weren't going to stop him. Something, Ji could definitely smile at.

"Daisuke," Mentor approached him, and he reverently bowed to his former leader. "How have you been?!"

"I've been good," Daisuke laughed at his former Senior Guardian. "How has it been living at the Shiba House?"

"Good, very good, you know the beds are more comfortable there than they are over here," Ji jokingly whispered.

"Oh, really," Daisuke utilized the stick in his hand; a smack was administered to Ji's the side.

Ji frowned, while rubbing the spot he got hit at. He definitely didn't miss those 'love taps'. "Where's Jayden," he asked.

"He's in the back working with the Spin Sword," the Elder replied, and then he fished for some information. "Have you told Jayden he was adopted?"

"Uh, what," Mentor adamantly shook his head. He didn't have the heart to admit something of that magnitude to his student. "You know, I can't do that."

"Well, who else would tell him?"

"Oh, I don't know, his mother," Ji answered as a matter of fact, as he stared off into the distance, where there were green hills, snow capped mountains in the farther distance, and large bundles of wheat swaying rhythmically left and right. He sighed, since he hated to keep secrets from the future Red ranger.

Before finding out the truth, Mentor Ji would've been lying to himself if he didn't at least have a sneaking suspicion Jayden wasn't biologically Mathew's and Nina's. Jayden had his dad and sister's eyes, but he possessed nothing of his mom. He questioned that why Nina wasn't present in Jayden. After his private thought was finally and surprisingly confirmed by Nina, he confronted Mathew about Jayden not being his.

Mathew, teary eyed and all, confessed their son wasn't apart of the bloodline, but they didn't need blood. Jayden was their son, and they respected and loved his birth parents for letting them care for their son. Mathew didn't want to reveal the truth to Jayden, at least not yet. First of all, he was young. Second, tirhe needed to trust them because of his purpose. And third, they couldn't bring themselves to admit they weren't his parents.

When the Shiba family separated, and Mathew passed, Mentor took Jayden under his wing as many different titles—father, teacher, best friend, chef, chauffeur, and others. Mentor confessed over time Jayden had become like a son he never had. The two became very close, since they knew, at that moment, they had no one else. He would gladly take a bullet or anything a Nighlock would throw his way because Mathew's adopted son was just that important to him.

But... he wouldn't say Jayden wasn't a Shiba.

"Jayden can't find out he's adopted," Mentor protected his pupil. "The only dad he's known passed away when he was just five years old, his mom is in hiding with his sister, and now, he's training to be a Power Ranger, not just any Power Ranger, but the Red ranger. And on top of that, he's not even the real, Red ranger. He's a stand in, an imposter, a kagemusha," he passionately rambled on his student's behalf. "If he knew this wasn't what his life was meant to be, he'd be absolutely crushed, and you know that."

Daisuke remained quiet upon hearing his former Senior Guardian's words. He was right, but this would also ease Jayden's dreams and mind. At least, he believed so. "So, what does Jayden know about _his_ life," he asked.

"All he knows is that he's a stand in, and that's why he has this thought he can't be close to his future teammates," Mentor honestly replied.

"Yes, and that is very unfortunate," Daisuke sadly shook his head. "He's going to be way more than that to them."

"I believe it," Ji firmly responded. "I, I, I really couldn't tell him something of that magnitude."

The Elder nodded. "I understand, but eventually, he will need to find out the truth. He can't keep going on like this, with these dreams lingering," he wisely spoke. He gave up, at least for now. "Would you like some tea and biscuits?"

"I'd like that very much," Mentor obliged, and then he saw a figure in the distance. The figure was gallantly coming their way. As the body became bigger, his eyes widened. "A kuroko," he murmured with shock.

A kuroko was a person dressed in all black, usually black robes. Their faces were, at least most of the time, covered to conceal their identities. In Japan, they were the ones that would change the scenes in the live Japanese shows. As for the Shiba Family, they had a number of roles. One of the most important was being a messenger.

The beautiful, black horse, similar to Black Beauty, came to a halt, since the reigns were pulled by it's master.

Daisuke protectively stepped in front of Mentor. He warily took the rectangular note card that bared the Shiba Family crest. He speculated this wasn't the greatest news. The messenger bowed, and ordered the horse to move once more. The beautiful horse galloped off. As soon as the bodily figure became no more, he opened the note.

The Elder Guardian read the note, and he was in a stunned silence. The note dropped from his shaky hands at the news.

Mentor Ji furrowed his brows. He wasn't sure whether to pick the note up or not. He followed his instincts and scooped the paper into his hands. He opened the note and read about the awful update. He gulped at each word. He had tears in his eyes, as he was distraught.

_"Dearest Daisuke,_  
_My mother, Nina, has passed away. I believe it was because of a broken heart._  
_She was never the same after knowing my dad passed, only twenty minutes after of her leaving. She tried to remain strong, but she just couldn't go on.  
__I trust you will give her the proper burial.  
__Unfortunately, due to my circumstances, I cannot be present.  
__You understand.  
__Please pass on the news to my brother and Mentor Ji.  
__Sincerely, Lauren._

_PS—Give my love to Jayden. I miss him very much."_

"Daisuke," Mentor suddenly found his voice to speak. "How are we going to tell Jayden?"

"He must hear it from you," Daisuke replied honestly, after taking some time to regain his composure. He turned to his former pupil. "He trusts you, and you will be his rock during this difficult time like when Mathew passed."

"But..." Ji released a deeper breath, as he was trying to find the right words, "knowing, he's lost his mom, and he couldn't be there for her, that's going to make him very depressed."

"Or give him the will to fight harder."

Mentor accepted. "I will inform Jayden of this," he took a step forward, and then his Elder placed a firm hand on his chest. Quizzically, he looked at the man.

"You must tell him of his adoption soon," Daisuke ordered adamantly. He wasn't going to hear the contested remarks from Ji. He wasn't having it, especially after finding out what's happened to Nina. "No, you listen. He's lost both of his parents, and now, he will have the lurking fear of losing his sister. He has to be strong during this trying time."

"He's already been strong though," Ji was confused by Daisuke. Slowly, he was becoming angry with the other man.

"He will be at his strongest, if he has an incentive—his birth parents, to fight for," the Elder revealed much to the dismay of Ji. "He's a passionate fighter, and the adoption will help in the fight against the Nighlock."

"NO," Mentor furiously roared, and the power of his voice caused the birds in hiding to fly in fear. "He's lost both of his parents, and that's enough for any child to fight for. That's _all_ he needs to know." His chest was elevating at abnormal pace. He had fire in his eyes, and the thought of the Elder being so wise was quickly disappearing from his thoughts. "You understand that?"

Jayden rushed to the front of the Tengen Gate. He heard the loud denial from a person, and he guessed the person was Mentor Ji. The tone and pitch gave it away. When he saw Mentor, standing in front of Daisuke, and his teacher's body was exuding outrage, disgust, and the need to choke his old leader, he knew something definitely happened.

"Mentor, Daisuke," Jayden cautiously queried the two of them, "is everything alright?"

"Yes, Jayden," Daisuke answered with an unwavering smile. He had to take his own advice and remain strong for everyone on these grounds. "Your Mentor and you must talk," and with that, he left the two alone.

Looking at Mentor questioningly, he wondered what there was to talk about. "Mentor?"

Brought of his angry stupor, he turned to his student. He looked him over, and he brought him into a loving bear hug. He wished he could protect him from what was to come, but he couldn't. Young Jayden was a fighter. He truly had passion, heart, spirit, and no trickery or bribery was needed. Regardless of Daisuke's absurd thought, Jayden could defeat the Nighlock without knowing about the secret adoption.

Jayden was put on this Earth for a reason, and that reason was to be a Power Ranger. He was going to carry his adopted dad's legacy and aid his adopted sister in what their dad couldn't finish. And if his birth parents were there, they would be cheering him from the sidelines.

Ji was almost positive of that.

"Your mom," was all Ji could say. "She has... she has... passed away."

"What," Jayden exclaimed in shock. "When, what happened," he kept firing questions. He grabbed the dirt covered note that was in Ji's clutch. He carefully read the words, and the world seemed to stop. The wind was knocked out of him, and Lauren's words reverberated within him. _'mother... Nina... passed away... broken heart... give my love to Jayden'_ He collapsed to the ground, his body wracked with breathless sobs. Why? That's all he wanted to know. Why? He felt Mentor's arms wrap around him protectively. "Why," exited his mouth with so much sadness he sounded like a dog whimpering in pain.

"You'll get through this," Mentor comforted sincerely, and he went to grab Jayden's bags. When he came back, he escorted Jayden home. They had to prepare for the upcoming funeral and would return for the burial.

Near the exit of the Tengan Gate, every Guardian came out, made two parallel lines and paid their respects to the next savior of these lands. They were all informed of the passing, and they wanted to show Jayden their support.

Before Jayden exited, he bent forward, accepting their condolences. Ji was soon to follow, and he ignored Daisuke like the plague.

Daisuke watched the two intently. He desperately wanted to admit the truth to Jayden. He wanted Jayden to know he did have another set of parents out there. His birth parents were probably looking for him now, or had been looking for him. These recurring dreams could be on their behalf. Though, Daisuke wasn't sure if this was best. Mentor was right, there was too much going on.

And Mentor would admit the truth one day, just not right now. The next Red Samurai ranger already lost both of his parents—the only parents he's ever known. The last thing Jayden needed to hear was they weren't the ones who gave birth to him.

There was no point in putting him through even more torture.

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**Question: Should Ji admit to Jayden he's adopted? Please let know. **


	8. Chapter 8- The Name

**A/N:** I wanted to bring some of my favorite rangers together plus a couple I think is underrated. Most of this chapter will be commentary.

**A/N:** There are some hints to future rangers though. ;)

**A/N:** This is a somewhat lengthy story, and it's about the journey. So, Tommy, Kim, and Jayden obviously won't reunite _that_ quickly. I really do plan to flush out the episodes of Power Rangers Samurai and make some AU, so they can fit with my story and my writing style. Thank you for following this story and answering the question from the previous chapter.

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**Chapter 8- The Name**

**March 2008  
Astro Megaship Mark III- Dining Room  
Undisclosed Location**

Aboard the Astro Megaship Mark III, which was the most recent model, there were former Power Rangers—comprised of Mighty Morphin/Ninjetti, in Space, Lightspeed Rescue, Time Force and Dino Thunder rangers. No introductions were needed, at least not yet. Not until more 'retired' rangers were summoned.

There were three dining room tables and one long bar style counter in this area, and that's where all of them decided to congregate. They had already ordered meals from the 'microwaves', the ones that would prep and serve food lightning quick. The former rangers quickly took their seats, and they chattered amongst themselves. All were updating each other about their children, since no kids were present.

All were still working on a certain quest.

"And how is little Sydney doing," Wes asked Carter and Dana, as he cut into his medium done T-bone steak. "And CJ, and what about Zoe?."

"Sydney's, not so little anymore," Dana commented with a proud smile, as she spoke of her oldest child. "She's excelling in fencing, her coach believes she can go to nationals once she gets older. And of course, CJ wants to follow in his dad's footsteps and become a firefighter."

Immediately, after their tenure as rangers, Carter and Dana became a couple. Not too long after dating, he got on one knee and proposed to the pediatric doctor. At their honeymoon, the former Pink ranger conceived their first child, Sydney. Then, CJ, short for Carter Junior, was born a year after Sydney's birth. Their last child, Zoe, was only three years old.

"While Zoe wants to be a fashion designer or something like that," Carter wasn't particularly too fond of this. "Auntie Kim needs to stop giving her outfits!"

Kim playfully stuck her tongue out, after swallowing a bite of her meal. "It's not my fault," she defended herself while laughing. "Your daughters, like the rest of the daughters of other rangers, are gorgeous, and I always enjoy dressing them up."

Recently, Mrs. Oliver's fashion designs were coming to life, and she's opened a boutique. She was working on opening her second boutique.

"Whatever," the firefighter said. "Jen, how are Schuyler and Olivia," he asked about the Collins kids.

"Sky," Jen enunciated, since her son loved that name more, "aspires to be like his dad. It's so cute how he tries to act like him. And Olivia's doing great. She's like a little me."

Wes and Jen have been happily married for close to five years now. Wes took over for his dad, and Jen also helped with the family businesses as well. They were definitely a power couple in Silver Hills.

"Then she must rack up all the charges on Wes' credit cards," Jason quipped, and his wife smacked his arm. "Ow, Trini, I was just kidding."

Trini rolled her eyes. "Right," she incredulously said. "Rex, you weren't kidding."

"I was too, besides we all know Kim's the one who racks up the credit charges around here," the first ever Red ranger of Earth joked once more.

"Hey," Kim got up from her seat and smacked her brother's head. "I'm not that bad." Her husband was about to say something. "Shut up, Tommy," she demanded, so he wouldn't dare elaborate on her spending habits. She daintily sat on her seat and continued eating.

Tommy sat put, admiring his wife. She was definitely a little spitfire. Something their daughter was beginning to pick up. He smiled nonetheless, as he loved the two most important females in his life.

Andros shook his head at Jason and Tommy. "You two just haven't learned have you," he asked his fellow Reds. "Jason, if I remember correctly, Trini and Kim kicked your ass after the battle on the moon. And Tommy, Kim and Trini kicked your ass after Blake and Tori's wedding," he reminded them.

"Now, is there a video of this fight after the moon battle," Conner wondered, after he took a sip of his drink. So many had talked about the infamous handicap match, and he was really curious about it. "I really want to see his ass handed to him on a silver platter."

Jason became slightly red.

"Trust, you don't want to see the embarrassment," Wes winced, as he remembered what happened. "Jase, that comment was truly unnecessary."

"What comment," Kira asked, while she tried to open up her apple juice. She was having a hard time, so her husband helped her. "Thanks, babe."

"No problem," he smiled at her and gave her a loving kiss.

Tommy laughed, as he reminisced. "What was the comment, Bro? 'I was the one doing all the work, while he was at Juice Bar kissing on Kimberly'," he stated, and Jason rose his hands in a fake choking motion. "Nah, I'm good," he laughed once more.

Angela noticed the exchange between Conner and Kira, and she became so happy. "Young love," she suddenly became breathless. "This one is quite a mover," she felt her stomach. "I think it's a girl."

Joel's eyebrow rose in confusion. "What do you mean it's a girl," he curiously asked. "How so?"

"For obvious reason," the Lightspeed Rescue's technical adviser stated firmly. "Our sons didn't move around this much, and because of all this movement, this _has_ to be a girl," she thoughtfully and longingly deducted. She really wished to have a daughter, but she wouldn't find out the sex until next week.

Angela and Joel had a whirlwind romance. Not too long after their honeymoon, Angela experienced terrible morning sickness. She discovered she was pregnant with their first son. The Sky Cowboy, who still worked as an aerial stuntman, was ecstatic by the news. She gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and then a year later became pregnant with another son. And now, they were expecting a third child.

"How are Brandon and Maxwell," Ashley queried, as she was about to get another plate of food. Angela Rawlings wasn't the only one pregnant.

"Need some help," Andros asked, as he went to assist her. He kissed her cheek and rubbed her pronounce belly.

For Andros and Ashley, their relationship prospered after the team-up with the Lost Galaxy rangers. After the final battle for the In Space rangers, Ashley couldn't choose between living on Earth or circulating the planets with the man she loved. So, for some time there was a separation. Ashley tried dating men of Earth, and Andros tried to fulfill his parents' wish of him marrying Karovian hierarchy.

They felt wrong about their situations.

One day, Andros unexpectedly arrived on Earth, in search of Ashley. He admitted he was miserable without her, and she confessed she wasn't the same without him. The two joyously reunited. Ashley chose to live with Andros. They decided for the love bond ceremony, which was the Earth's equivalent to marriage. Past rangers, up to that time, were invited. They had one child, a boy named Alexander, with a daughter on the way. Amira was going to be the name of the little girl.

"Both are doing extremely well in Rocky's class from what I heard," Joel responded about his sons.

"They are some of our top students," Jason informed with a smile. He enjoyed when kids of past Power Rangers joined the dojos he co-owned with his best friends. Jason, Adam, and Rocky had opened a chain of them, and they were spread throughout southern California. One was based in Mariner Bay.

"I hope you guys are having a girl," Kim sincerely wished for Joel and Angela. "It's a blessing but expensive at the same time. When Sophia hits puberty, I know she's going to want the good stuff like Juicy Couture."

"Well, if she's anything like her mother..." Tommy began, ignoring the wishes of his fellow male rangers to stop talking.

"Shut it, Tommy," his wife ordered once more with a glare.

Tommy cheekily smiled, and he kissed his wife on the lips. He 'treaded the water' when it came to his wife's attitude. Actually, him and Jason always did.

"Our daughters want that and more. Brennan doesn't ask for much, thank goodness," Trini spoke of her own children, and she looked at her husband, who was eagerly eating his fried chicken meal. "Care to give me another child?"

Almost choking on his food, Jason looked at his wife disbelievingly. "Three is enough," he couldn't take having another child. "Brennan, Kayla and May are more than a handful. Between karate, soccer, chess tournaments, piano lessons, and modeling for their auntie's fashion line, the last thing we can do is add another child," he loved his son and daughters with all his heart, but the thought of having another son or daughter was just too much.

Trini actually agreed with her husband, after he put all of that in retrospect. And to add she was a prosecutor, handling dozens of cases at a time, another child would definitely complicate things. "It's still open for discussion though," she added as an afterthought. "You know I've always wanted a big family."

"We hope to have a daughter soon," Conner, who was still heavily involved with his favorite sport, informed everyone else, and the rest of the adults weren't exactly pleased. "When we are old enough," he nervously laughed.

"Conner be a man," Kira ordered with much force, and she intimately grabbed for her husband's hand. "Bridge will not be our only child," she updated them.

Tommy understood. "Alright, alright, we get it, but what we are all concerned about is that you guys started fairly young. Not that you two aren't doing a great job right now,'' his fatherly instincts kicked in. "At least wait until after you open up your first soccer camp, Conner."

"And get your demo off the ground," Kim spoke to Kira, the aspiring singer, as a mother.

Former and current Power Rangers always looked after one another—_no matter what_.

During their time as rangers, Conner and Kira became extremely close. Eventually, their bickering turned into love, and they became a couple. Shortly after the final battle of the Dino Thunder rangers, Kira took a pregnancy test and the little 'stick' came back positive. She was ashamed that she hadn't taken the right precautions. Before telling Conner the result, she told the truth to Tommy and Kim. She felt like she had no place to turn. Her parents were conservative people, and they would find her pregnancy to be a disgrace.

Of course Tommy and Kim stepped in as parental figures, and they saw a bit of themselves in this couple. Fortunately enough for Conner and Kira, they actually became pregnant after the paranormal enemies were destroyed. So, the Falcon and Crane informed the soon to be mom they would be there every step of the way.

And, when Conner was finally told about the pregnancy, he was actually ecstatic. He couldn't wait to become a dad; he already had experience some experience. He helped care for Sophia, Brynn, Kayla, May, Ahmad—Zack and his wife's son, Rocky Jr and Nadia—Rocky and Aisha's son and daughter, and Kaylani and Adrian—Adam and Tanya's kids. And even, Kat's daughter, Bailey. When the due date got closer, understandably, he got the cold feet, and he was unsure if he could handle such a responsibility. Tommy took it upon himself, and he revealed the secret about Kim giving birth all those years ago. When the Red Dino Thunder ranger heard, he was shocked.

Consequently, Conner accepted what he had to do. The soccer phenom couldn't forget those words of his mentor/science teacher,_ 'if my son turned out to be anything like you, I'd be proud'._

"So, when are we going to call this other ranger," Wes asked to get them back on track.

"Mack Hartford," Kira began, and she thought back to the 'Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger' battle, "was the Red Operation Overdrive ranger. Their dad, Andrew Hartford, is a tech wiz. His base was similar to Dr. O's; his was under his house as well. He should be able to help with this." There hadn't been a reunion with the Operation Overdrive rangers just yet, so Kira felt it was time to contact the originator of that power, who was Andrew Hartford. He had immense resources.

And, the quest to find Tommy and Kim's son had been going on for sometime now. There was little information to go on. The only tidbit the birth parents had was the sex of the child and when the child was born. There was no name of him or his adopted parents, and no location of where he possibly resided. In addition, they weren't positive if there was even a fabricated birth certificate made.

After admitting to their teammates about their son, Tommy and Kim opened up to more power teams. So, when a power team retired, or their powers were relinquished, there was usually a reunion with past rangers. They were clued in about the adoption, and pretty much, all of them stepped in. They wanted to help in some way. This was paying homage to the Falcon and Crane Ninjetti, as they were legendary amongst the rangers. Plus, they were curious about the first offspring of two Power Rangers.

Help was very much needed in this daunting case. The search was exhausting. There were nights some had gone without sleep because they were looking for anything on the little boy, who was probably in his teens now. Sadly, the promising leads they had were dead ends.

Kim and Tommy weren't going to give up though.

"DECA, please locate the Hartford family of San Angeles, CA," Andros commanded.

"LOCATING, NOW," the machine said. After a few moments, the lovely voice chimed in. "LOCATION LOCKED," the machine then penetrated the Hartford's underground base.

**Xxxxx**

**One Minute Later  
Hartford Mansion- Underground Base  
San Angeles, CA**

"Mack, Mack," Rose, former Pink Operation Overdrive ranger, breathlessly tried to stop her boyfriend from taking things too far. She felt his lips crash onto hers, and they feverishly continued kissing. "We can't go any further, not until..."

"I love you, Rose," Mack Hartford declared, and he started to nip at her neck.

She gave him even more access, and she began to moan in pleasure at the sensation. "I love you too," she purred, and then she heard a sound. "What was that," she asked, a little accustomed to the noise. Once more, she tried to push him off.

Mack ignored her question. "God, you are so beautiful," he complimented, as he was reaching down, and then he began to unzip her tight, body, forming jeans. "Next time, where a skirt."

"No, sweetie," her eyes rolled to the back of her head, in both annoyance and guilt filled indulgence. "I think something's coming over the monitors."

"What," he exclaimed immediately, and he looked at the giant screen that turned on by itself. The blinding light caused him to squint. Once he refocused his eyes, he stared in shock when he saw 14 pairs of eyes staring right back at him. He immediately gulped, scared to even speak or ask how they infiltrated the damn security system.

From her position, Rose became slightly confused. She saw the light, and she ascended to see what exactly happened. "Shit," she concealed herself, and she began dressing secretly. "How did that happen," she hissed. Mack was still in a stunned silence. "Well, say something," she commanded. She was really embarrassed, not that seeing 14 pairs of eyes should've freaked her or something. Though, she was thankful she could make herself invisible. It was a residual power from her time as a ranger.

"Who-who, who are you," Mack queried with some hesitation. "All, um, all of you," he looked at each one of them. He finally recognized one. "Kira?"

Upon hearing the name, Rose became solid matter, and she inquisitively looked. "Ah! Kira, how have you been," she became rather ecstatic and wanted to catch up with her.

"_Rose, is that you_," Kira asked, surprised by her being there. She waved to her comrades. "_We __**really**_ _need to talk now!_"

"How's baby Bridge, and that cute husband of yours," Rose blabbered, unaware that the 'cute husband' was sitting right next to the former Yellow Dino Thunder ranger.

The previous rangers laughed at her enthusiasm.

"And what do I look like Swiss cheese," Mack finally snapped out of his stupor. He became slightly angry with his fiancee.

"_We have someone with swiss cheese for a brain_," Jason remembered Tommy's lingering issue from high school. "_You know, I'm still surprised you became a doctor_."

"_Jason, cut the crap_," Tommy demanded, sounding angry yet a bit playful at the same time.

Jason shoved his right, middle finger in the air.

"_And, to think, I thought they were best friends_," Angela Rawlings overheard their potty mouths with a small smile.

Jen shooed her comment away. "_They **are** best friends, but just like any other best friends they can get on each other's nerves,_" she explained. Then, she looked at her husband, who was on his cell phone. "_Or, you have this, what people coin, a 'bromance', and one can't seem to live without the other_," she loved Eric Myers; she really did, but sometimes she felt he was too close to her husband. "_So, how is he?_"

Wes' eyes were glued to his phone. "_Honey, he's fine. He wish he could be here, but apparently he called Taylor fat. She packed some luggage, placed Eric Jr and Sara in the car, and they left to her parents house for the night_," he revealed.

"_Oooo_," the rest of the men flinched at the big mistake Myers made.

"_Well that's dumb_," Trini said, while stroking her husband's shoulder. She turned her attention to the rest of the females in the room. "_He's not smart, now is_ _he?_"

"_Not when it comes to women_," Kim added with a smile, as she thought about her first encounter with the past rogue ranger by the name of Eric Myers. She didn't see what Taylor saw in him, at the beginning. However, over time the man grew on her. He could be a little abrasive, but once put in his place, he was a little, teacup puppy. The former Yellow Wild Force ranger was _the_ person to put him in his place. In Kim's opinion, they were meant for each other.

Mack heard the quips, but that still didn't make sense why these people were being projected into his home. Still confused, he touched his fiancee's arm. "Who are they?"

Rose was able to put two and two together. "Well, if Kira is with them, then that must mean... they're Power Rangers," she exclaimed like she had an epiphany, while her eyes brightened at the recognition.

"_Ding, ding, ding_," Ashley sounded like a buzzard. "_We would like to invite you to our home_."

"Power-Power Rangers, you mean there's more of them," the former Red Operation Overdrive ranger questioned in disbelief. He began to look at every single one of them. He was astounded to be apart of such a big legacy.

"_Guess, he hasn't heard about me yet_," Tommy figured, as he stared back at Mack. "What? Was this kid born like four years ago?"

"That's correct," Rose pointedly answered about her fiancee.

"_WHAT."_ all of the past rangers on the Megaship exclaimed at once.

The rangers from all those years ago didn't know about Mack's little abnormality. He was created by Andrew Hartford because he wanted a son. For some time, his teammates didn't know he was created by technology. It wasn't until he had a sudden malfunction that the truth was told. At the brink of 'death', the Corona Aurora made him fully human.

Mack nervously laughed. He didn't like to be the center of attention. "What's this about," he queried his fellow rangers.

"_We will explain more, but we would like you here_," Andros, now, answered them. "_DECA, please teleport Mack and Rose here_."

_"TELEPORTING NOW,"_ DECA summoned the Operation Overdrive rangers.

**Xxxxx**

**One Minute Later  
Astro Megaship Mark III  
Undisclosed Location**

"Ooof," Rose and Mack grunted as they landed with a thud. Mack helped Rose to stand.

The two weren't used to teleporting. Both, then, looked at the ship with awe and surprise. They had never seen anything of this caliber before. The newest occupants began to survey their new surroundings. Rose's eyes twinkled at all the technology while Mack was still baffled by **EVERYTHING.**

"Nice of you to finally join us," Kira kidded, and she smiled at them. "Everyone, meet Rose Ortiz; she was the Pink Operation Overdrive ranger."

"Um, hello," Rose nervously said, and she waved. "It's nice to meet everyone."

"And, you are," Carter allowed Mack to introduce himself.

Mack protectively cradled his fiancee."I am Mack Hartford; I was the Red Operation Overdrive ranger, leader of the team, Andrew Hartford's son, and I am Rose's fiance," he anxiously rambled.

"Are you hungry," Andros nicely asked, and then he pointed to the chef like machine. "This can make anything you wish."

"Chicken tenders and french fries with a side of honey mustard," Mack hoped, while looking at the contraption.

_"ANYTHING,"_ Joel held up his plate of BBQ ribs, baked beans, cornbread and coleslaw. "It's a great mechanism."

A bit hesitant, the newest arrivals headed towards the 'microwaves'. They scrolled through the 'menus'. After a few buttons were touched, they received their meals. Their dinners were fresh, piping hot, and looked extremely delicious.

"Prodigious," Rose commented, as she closely examined her food. She found a place to sit, and her soon to be husband followed. They quietly ate amongst themselves for a little. They were still a bit uneasy about the situation. One minute, they were making out like two teenagers in a dark movie theater. Now, they were with a familiar person and several, plus more, unfamiliar people. And still unsure why their presence was needed.

"What did she say," Jen questioned everyone else with her face forming into a question mark.

"Splendid," Trini translated with ease like always.

Kim's ears perked up. "So, Rose, you must've been the Billy of your team," she supposed.

"Billy," Rose asked, wondering who that was. "Who's Billy?"

"I guess introductions are in order. Jase, why don't we start with you," Tommy commanded.

Jason nodded. "Alright, I'm Jason Lee Scott, first ever leader, and I was the Red Mighty Morphin ranger. Also, I first ever Gold Zeo ranger of Earth," he presented himself with pride. "Honey..."

"My name is Trinity Kwan-Scott, but Trini is fine with me. My husband is Jason, and I was the first ever Yellow ranger; I wielded the Saber-Tooth Tigerzord" she informed the newcomers proudly.

"I'm Andros," said the man with dual toned hair. "I was the Red In Space ranger, and I own the ship you're on. Ash, babe?"

"Hello, Rose and Mack. It's nice to meet you two. I'm Ashley, Andros is my husband, and I was the second Yellow Turbo ranger, and I was also the Yellow In Space ranger," she spoke kindly to them. There was a warm smile on her face.

Carter was the next to say something. "I'm Carter Grayson, and I was the Red Lightspeed ranger; honey," he urged his wife.

"Dana Grayson, and as you might've guessed my husband is Carter. I was the Pink Lightspeed ranger," she introduced herself with a grin. "Joel."

"Howdy," he playfully yelped. "Joel Rawlings is my name, and this is my beautiful wife, Angela," his wife waved hello. "I was the Green Lightspeed ranger, and she was the one that would help with all the technical stuff on the Aquabase."

"I'll go next," Wes opted. "Hello, Wesley 'Wes' Collins, I was the Red Time Force ranger. Jen," he wanted her to go next.

"I'm Jennifer 'Jen' Collins, Wes is definitely my husband, and I was the Pink Time Force ranger, as well as leader of the team."

"Wow," Rose couldn't believe it, and then she bit into the Filipino BBQ sticks she requested. After she swallowed, she posed a question. "Pinks can be leaders too?"

All the women nodded.

"And as you know, I'm Kira McKnight; Yellow Dino Thunder ranger, or was. Um, babe," she introduced herself once again to them.

"Conner McKnight, here, this babe right here is my wife, and I was the Red Dino Thunder ranger with good ole Dr. O," he slightly snickered. "Dr. O, why don't you go next."

All of the past rangers, minus two, and a technical adviser chuckled. They knew Tommy cringed when it came to introducing himself.

Kim decided to say her intro, so her husband could choose his words. "I'm Kimberly 'Kim' Oliver, and my husband is the, or should I say, famous Dr. Thomas 'Tommy' Oliver," she smirked at her husband. "I was the first Pink ranger of Earth; I was on the same team as Jason, Trini, and Tommy. I also hold the Crane power. Now, handsome, it's your turn."

Tommy cleared his throat, and he kept hearing the snickers of everyone else. He requested for them to cut it out. "It's nice to meet you, Rose and Mack. I prefer to go by Tommy, and I was the first Green ranger of Earth. Yes, I was on the same team as Jason, Trini, and my lovely wife," he continued further, "I, then, became the White Mighty Morphin power ranger. Once those powers were depleted, I became the Red Zeo ranger, and then the Red Turbo ranger. After that I..."

Some started to snore at this part. They've been though plenty of reunions of past rangers, and Tommy's had the longest introduction of them all. In addition, he sounded like a broken record, repeating _all_ of his titles.

"Then, I became a high school teacher, and an overseer of Conner, Kira, Ethan, and then eventually Trent, and I finally retired as the Black Dino Thunder ranger," he finished ultimately.

Mack and Rose stared at Tommy, deadpanned. They hadn't heard of such a thing. Adam Park, secondary Mastodon Black, Green Zeo and first Green Turbo ranger, did speak of the 'originals' acquiring more than one power. However, they thought the cap was three, not four.

"Was it necessary to hold all that power," Mack finally piped up from his place.

"Or to be a color stealer," Rose wondered innocently.

"Now, that's a good one," Jason was warming up to them.

"Can we get back on track, please," the Multicolored ranger huffed gruffly. He scanned the room. Everyone agreed it was best to continue. "We brought you here because we are in need of your assistance."

The engaged couple listened closely.

"Will you help to search for mine and Tommy's son," Kim hopefully asked.

"What," Rose almost choked on her drink. "Your-your son?" She came to the conclusion this meeting was ranger related. Possibly Thrax had been resurrected, or there was another intergalactic being out there that needed a good butt whooping. Now, to hear this, she was definitely surprised.

"Yes, Tommy and Kim had a son when they were in high school," Angela started the story, and she depicted the dilemma when they found out they were pregnant.

"So, you were all in high school when you became rangers," Rose questioned, still amazed at the responsibility Jason, Tommy, Trini, Ashley, and Kim had when they were teenagers. She didn't know how they could've done it. "And, you became pregnant?" She was definitely shocked.

Jason nodded, still a little upset. Honestly, he held some hostility towards his best friend, brother, Tommy. And towards Kimberly, his little sister, closest female confidant. Honestly, he felt there were still questions of why this was kept from him for so long. He did want answers. "That she did," he replied on his sister's behalf. "They don't have much information on him."

"Nothing at all," Mack frowned a bit. "Is there a name to your guys' son?"

Albeit Tommy and Kim, everyone in the room shook their head.

"Tommy," the Crane called for her Falcon. When they locked eyes, she smiled at him with much love. "Do you think Alpha 5 gave the note we wrote," Kim asked, and then she observed her friends' reactions.

"Kim, what note," Angela asked with curiosity, as she rubbed her belly.

Everyone else followed with Angela's line of questioning.

Dr. Oliver's hands rose to stop the inquiries that were being fired. "Before we left the Command Center _that_ day, we wrote a letter to the adopted parents. We asked that his name be Jayden," he explained.

"You didn't think to tell us this when we started searching," Trini asked them, a little upset that they were still keeping some type of secrets about this adoption. She glanced at her husband, and he wasn't pleased either. She placed one of her hands on Jason's clenching fist. "Stop," she quietly ordered him. He nodded.

Kim heavily sighed. "We aren't keeping anything else from you, we promise," she informed them. "It's just, we aren't sure that's what _they_ named him."

"They, as in the adopted parents," Rose speculated.

"Right," Tommy nodded at Rose, and he continued. "We didn't tell you about the letter because of that reason. Who is to say _they_ named him Jayden? What if the other parents picked a different name? Wouldn't that leave us in the same predicament?"

Jason shook his head, his anger getting the best of him. "Let get me this straight. You leave a note with Alpha 5, ask for him to give the note to the adopted parents, the adopted parents are gaining a son, and you don't think they're going to,, at the very least, listen to your request to name him Jayden," he couldn't believe the illogical thinking of his closest friends. "For goodness sake, of course they **_are_** going to name him Jayden! It's the least they could fucking do!"

Carter agreed with Jason and Trini. "You could've spoken about this the first time you told us. We could've found him by now," he told them, while shaking his head.

Dana wasn't so quick to agree. "They are making sense. We don't know anything about the adopted parents. They might not choose a name like Jayden. After all, Tommy and Kim's birth son became _their_ son," she clashed with the others' opinions.

The bickering ensued. Along with Jason, Trini and Carter, Jen Ashley, Andros and Conner believed they withheld vital information. On the other hand, Wes, Kira, Angela, and Joel lined with Dana. Being newcomers, Mack and Rose didn't form an opinion, so they were neutral factors. Kim and Tommy, the ones that believed they initiated this battle of opinion, wanted their friends to stop.

This wasn't going to get anyone anywhere. In addition, this fighting was scaring Mack and Rose. The Falcon and Crane did a once over of the engaged couple. They became small in their seats, definitely feeling uncomfortable being there.

"ENOUGH," Kim shouted with anger and frustration. Her eyes transforming into an allusive hue of pink, and she stared at every single person in the room. Most of the occupants quivered at how creepy she looked. She wanted to explain everything, give her reasons. However, she could not due to the heated debate. All she wanted was a chance.

"Beautiful," Tommy cautiously requested her attention. He watched her eyes return to a normal color. One that could be shown in public with no question. "Everything is going to be okay," he attempted to calm her down.

She nodded at her husband. "Sorry," she quickly apologized to everyone. "Listen, it's the truth. Part of me actually forgot about the words we left with him. I mean, I've been trying, for most of my adult life, to forget about even birthing a son. Tommy obviously knows first hand," she, then, alluded to the infamous letter. "Until Tommy and I confessed we had a son out there, I just wanted to forget everything and anything that was related to him."

"And that must've been so hard for you," Ashley consoled, but she still stood firm. "A name would've gotten us a step closer."

"Put yourself in our shoes," Tommy defended his wife and thee decision they made. "You don't know what we were going through. You don't understand how much this eats at us every fucking day of our lives. So what, we didn't mention a possible hint to his name. Would that still get us to him?"

"Possibly," Rose assumed, but she thought about this much more. "His name is Jayden. Let's go in that direction. We will say that _is_ his name. Okay, do we even have a last name? A place where he lives? Possibly a school he attends?"

Everyone shook their head.

"See," the future Mrs. Hartford pointed out. "I'm sure this hasn't been an easy search for all of you, especially you two," she glanced at Tommy and Kim with comfort expressed in her eyes, "but, this search will still be tough even with just a name, a _possible_ name at that."

"I agree," Trini felt a little out of line. She had been supporting her best friends since finding out, and she didn't want them to think she was backing out all of a sudden or going against them. She took a calming breath and opened her mouth. "Tommy, Kim, I'm sorry. I've been so invested in this search, I want you guys to find him. But you have to admit, this search has been overwhelming."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry too," Conner admitted his guilt. "Dr. O, Kim, you guys have been there for me, Kira, and Bridge. I should've cut you guys some slack."

The people who were upset about the hidden name followed suit. They too asked for forgiveness. And, Tommy and Kim quickly accepted. They weren't angry at any of their friends. They loved their friends, old and new. All they wanted was an understanding, and they hoped to just add this piece to the puzzle. The puzzle that was definitely still discombobulated.

"So, we will try searching for _Jayden,"_ Andros got everyone's attention. "DECA, let's do a cross search of Jayden and the birth date of November 11, 1994."

"SEARCHING, NOW"

"Jayden," Kim repeated the name, as if it rolled off her tongue like butter. She, then, looked at her husband sadly. This was the 100th time she asked this question, but she wanted reassurance. She wondered how things would be if they kept their son. Would Tommy have gone on to become a Red or Black Power Ranger? Would they still have Sophia as their daughter? Would Tommy have become a mentor to Power Rangers? All these questions formed in her head. "We did the right thing, right?"

"Beautiful, we did," Tommy guaranteed, while administering a soft kiss to her forehead. In his mind, all of the answers to her questions were 'no'. "Mack, Rose, are you on board to help?"

The engaged couple spoke privately. Mack then answered. "Of course, we would be honored to help."

"But, I have a question," Rose held her hand up. Once she had everyone's attention, she began to talk. "Who's Billy," she wondered about the name from earlier.

The occupants of the Megaship began to laugh at the out of the box question. Yet, they were thankful for some type of release from the tension. Everyone spoke to them about all of the past rangers.

"Babe, I need a break," Jason told Trini. She nodded, a little worried about him. He politely excused himself, and he went to a different part of the ship. He thought about everything. Just because he apologized to his closest friends, that didn't mean he didn't have underlying hostility towards them. There was anger inside of him—a lot of anger. And he would get it out eventually.

* * *

**Question: Did Tommy and Kim make a mistake by not telling everyone about their note to the adopted parents?**


	9. Chapter 9- The Apologies

**A/N:** The last chapter acted like a cliffhanger, so in this chapter I want to tie up the loose end. This will focus on four people: Tommy, Kim, Kat, and Jason. Jason for obvious reasons, and Kat because of her lingering thoughts about Tommy. (They never sat down to speak about the breakup.)

**A/N:** No Kat bashing will not be done. Her character is not at fault for what the writers of Power Rangers thought was best.

* * *

**Chapter 9- The Apologies**

**May 2008  
Kat's House-Backyard  
Beverly Hills, CA**

Sophia and Bailey, Kat's three year old, rambunctious daughter, were in the shallow end of the expanse pool. They were playfully and joyfully splashing around. Though Sophia was a bit older than Bailey, she didn't treat Kat's daughter like a 'little kid'. Whenever they got to spend time together, the two gravitated towards each other like a big sister to a little sister.

Their mothers intently watched their daughters from their seats. Each sipping their cucumber waters slowly.

Earlier in the day, Kim called Kat, and she asked if her and Bailey wanted to come over for a play date. Kat suggested Kim and Sophia come to her newly purchased mansion.

Mike Corbett, Kat's husband, Leo's brother, former Magna Defender of the Lost Galaxy rangers, had obviously done really well for himself and his family. He was a prestige doctor, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, at Cedar's Siani Medical Center in Los Angeles. With Kat owning, now three, dance academies, she added to his pronounce income. That allowed the husband and wife to close on this property.

Their residence was located in the affluent 90210 zip code. The five bedroom, four bathroom home was close to 6,000 square feet with granite counter tops in the kitchen and stainless, steel appliances throughout, a three car garage and an underground entertainment center. The backyard housed a gorgeous bbq set, six foot deep pool with an immaculate stone design, along with a spa.

Kat's sparkling blue eyes glanced at Kim. She placed her tumbler on the table. "Any new leads," she asked.

Kim turned to Kat, but still kept her ears opened for the girls. She tightly smiled a bit. "No. Jayden isn't a common name, so that should make the search easier but the _Jayden_ we are looking for seems to be non-existent," she sadly answered.

"Nonexistent," Bailey's mom said in an incredulous tone. She furrowed her brows. "He has to be somewhere. With all the technology from past power teams, the knowledge of certain rangers, they should be able to find him if he was in Timbuktu!"

"They've combed through the school systems of every single district in the nation. He's not on the radar, not even a little blip," the search for Kim's son was partly weighing down on her.

"I'm sorry, Kim," the other woman sincerely apologized. She bit her lip a bit. "How's Tommy taking all of this?"

"Not well."

"Well, that's expected," she contritely answered, as she watched the kids interact with one another.

Kim overheard the lovely blonde's tone, and this was exactly why she wanted to meet with Kat.

The distance between Tommy and Kim and Kat was clearly noted by others. The animosity, the hurt, the betrayal, and this revelation about a son weighed heavily. For Tommy, he felt the worse. He never truly wanted to hurt his ex girlfriend the way he did, but he knew there was only one person who could make him happy. Unfortunately, Kat wasn't her. As for Kim, she wanted to bridge the gap. She wanted to be friends with Kat like how she was before. The successor to Kim wasn't necessarily in love with Tommy. She still had some feelings though, and that's why she's been avoiding the couple. Part of her felt guilty for still lusting after her former leader, and another part couldn't contain the jealously she had for her predecessor.

"Tommy wants to have a talk with you," Kim revealed, unsure of how Tommy's ex was going to take it. Once she saw the look of shock on Kat's face, she continued. "He would have contacted you himself, but, well, he didn't want Mike to think otherwise, and he wasn't sure if you wanted to even speak to him."

"He is a man, Kim. He shouldn't have to care what my husband thinks."

"Are you sure, Kat? He's respectful of the relationship you and your husband have. It's not like Mike doesn't know about you and Tommy, and the feelings you had for him," the Crane reminded her as a matter of fact. She carefully watched Kat, as she flinched from her truthful words. "Tommy can fight all the monsters, putty patrols, tenga warriors, hell, he can even fight Lord Zedd to the moon and back, but that still won't change the fact he can't handle what he did to _you."_

"But that happened such a long time ago," Kat nonchalantly waved her words away, shaking her head at the thought of talking to Tommy. "Kim, we don't have anything to talk about."

"Do you still have feelings for him," the petite woman bluntly asked.

Surprised by her question, she wasn't sure whether to ask her to leave or punch her friend. She felt attacked all of a sudden. "You know I don't. I love Mike with all my heart. He's my husband, the father to my, our, child, and there's no room for me to love Tommy," she replied, hurt by her.

Kim wasn't having it. She wasn't at all upset if Kat had feelings for her husband. She knew the lanky blonde would never act on her emotions anyways. "You need to be free of this though," she comforted, and topaz pools and ocean colored eyes met. She watched the hesitancy play on Kat's face. "You have to do this, for yourself. You need to end this torture."

"I'm not in torture," she anxiously denied once more, hoping Kim would stop this madness. "I'm two seconds away from kicking you out of my home," she threatened with some malice.

"But you won't," Tommy's wife stated confidently. "I see I struck a chord. You do want to talk to him, but you think I or Mike would be angry. That's the farthest from the truth. I can't speak on Mike's behalf, but I can speak on mine. You need this release."

Kat stared at Kim. The words stung like a bee. She hadn't realized her afterthoughts of her ex boyfriend was still prevalent. In addition, there _were_ many unanswered questions. She was suddenly jarred out of her thoughts by her daughter.

Bailey was definitely beautiful. Like Sophia, she had curls in her caramel hair, with striking blue eyes of her mom. Her skin was tanned due to the dad's half Latino features. She also had high, pronounced cheekbones. She sort of looked like a beauty pageant contestant but more natural. "Mom," she wanted her attention. "Pizza, please."

"Of course, you can have pizza. I'll get the take out book, and we'll order for everyone," she smiled because she was thankful for the distraction. "Kim, Soph, why don't we all head inside." She grabbed her daughter's Hell Kitty towel, and she thoroughly wiped her down.

"Did you have a good swim, baby," Kim asked her daughter, while she helped to dry her. She didn't want to ruin anything in Kat's immaculate and spacious home.

"It was really fun. Can we have a pool," Sophia hopefully requested. She innocently smiled at her mom. "Pretty, pretty please."

"We'll talk to your daddy about that," was her mom's reply.

The four females walked inside. Immediately, Bailey headed for her bedroom. Sophia soon trailed her, while Kat went to one of the kitchen drawers. Kim sat at the kitchen island in silence. Bailey's mom ordered the pizza and extras via telephone. She, then, turned to Kim. She sighed.

"Kim, I just don't know," she resumed the talk from earlier. She walked to her refrigerator, took two wine coolers out, and she opened them. "As I said, Tommy and I broke up a long time ago. There's not much to say. We've both moved on."

Sophia's mom received her wine cooler, and she listened to the words. But, that's all they were—just words. It's clearly evident Kat wanted answers, but she held back. Once more, Kim prodded. "You can keep denying this, but I know this keeps you up at night—sometimes. You love Mike. I won't deny that, but in order for you to fully invest your heart, you and Tommy need to sit down and speak to one another."

Kat countered with her own request. She knew Kim's bullheaded ways, and she definitely wouldn't give this up. So, Kim needed to be put in her own predicament. "Then, you talk to Jason," she ordered firmly.

The Crane almost fell out of her seat at the demand. She didn't understand what Kat was saying, or at the very least, hinting to. She observed the taller woman, her stare rather intense. There wasn't anything to say to her brother. She wasn't in love, or had an everlasting desire to want him. Their relationship was healthy in her opinion. And, if Jason did have anything to say, he should be comfortable enough to talk to her.

"There's nothing me and him need to talk about."

"Are you sure about that," Mike's wife contradicted her statement.

"I'm positive," confidence was laced in Kim's voice.

Kat lightly popped her right shoulder up. Her eyes slightly swaying to the side, not necessarily agreeing with Kim. "If that's what's you think, then I'll leave it at that," she headed to Bailey's room, so she could give the girls juice boxes.

For a moment, Kim stayed in her seat. Without notice, an uneasy feeling washed over her. She shook her head, not believing there was tension between them. She went to meet Kat in Bailey's room.

"Mommy, I want a tv like this," Sophia piped up from her spot on Bailey's twin sized bed. She pointed at the pink item that had Hello Kitty's face plastered throughout the frame. "Auntie Kat, that's so cool."

Kat laughed. "I'm sure your mom and dad can swing something like that," she sided with her. "Right, Kim?"

"Right," Kim agreed, trying to conceal her sudden fear that something was wrong between her and Sophia's Godfather. "Are you guys having fun?"

"Yes," the girls chorused, while watching an episode of 'Winx Club'.

"Alright, we'll call you once the pizza has arrived," the dance school owner said, and she walked down to the elongated, winding stairs, hearing Kim's light footsteps following her. They went to sit in the living room. Successor and predecessor faced head on. "I've struck a chord in you, haven't I?"

Kim nodded.

"Look, a majority of us," Kat started about Zordon's 12, "felt you and Tommy did hide a very, very big secret. Majority were quick to accept, while others, particularly Jason and I," she finally confessed, "are still feeling betrayed."

"I've-I've been blind this whole entire time," the truth dawning on Kim's sunkissed features. There was no reason not to believe Kat. This explained Jason's sudden outburst from their most recent visit to the Megaship. As a result, she felt immense guilt. "Is he mad at just me, or is he mad at Tommy as well?"

"Both," Kat looked at Kim closely, watching the brave woman grow small in her seat. She supposed both needed to hear the truth today. "I will talk to Tommy," she reluctantly gave in. "As long as you talk to Jason."

"That's all I ask for," Kim replied.

The doorbell resounded in the house, and Kat rose to pay for the pizza.

**Xxxxx**

**One Week Later  
Spago Restaurant  
Beverly Hills, CA**

"Good evening, Tommy," Kat had been seated at the table for two for about ten minutes. She sipped her luscious, red wine. She ascended on her feet, and she placed a subdued kiss on his left cheek. She resumed sitting, grabbing her tall flute of decadent, fermented, grapes. Her blue eyes gravitated his way.

"Sorry, the traffic was killer," he explained the reason for his tardiness and sat down.

"It's quite alright," she understood. "The 101 Freeway is a bitch," she lightly joked.

Tommy nodded with a small chuckle. The server came by, and he ordered his drink—scotch on the rocks. He browsed the menu. "Have you ordered yet," he questioned.

Kat shook her head. "No, no, I was going to order once you arrived," she nervously smiled and finally placed her glass down. "Everything looks good; I wouldn't know what to order anyway."

The two sat in silence, uneasily enjoying each other's company.

Once more, the server returned. He took their orders. Kat opted for the Farfalle Pasta with Maine lobster, spring onions, and micro basil, while Tommy requested the Sonoma lamb rack, harrisaaioli, falafel "macroons," and eggplant "caviar". Their alcoholic beverages were refilled at once.

The silence, then, resumed.

After their pool date, Kim and Sophia came home. Tommy asked how the meeting went, and that's when Kim revealed Kat accepted to talk to him. He thankfully kissed his wife; she got through to his ex-girlfriend. A day later, Tommy called Mike. He asked if it was okay for him to speak with Kat privately about this matter. Mike, at first hesitant, agreed.

When their schedules were clear, Tommy and Kat would meet with one another for dinner at an exquisite restaurant—her choice of course. However, he would pick the time. He promised if the traffic was clearer, he would've arrived promptly. She played with her silverware; he fiddled with his glass. Their divide clearly shown with their conspicuous movements.

They weren't like this in high school.

As Rita's evil puppet, she lured Tommy to a different dimension. In the Ford Mustang, she intermingled her arm with his. She clung like a leech, acting as if she was scared. That wasn't the case. She helped to mastermind this deceptive act, and she subtly loved feeling his tanned, pronounced muscles against her milky skin. And once they escaped the paranormal activity, she altered herself to her cat form, acting as Aisha and Kim's adopted pet, all the while, resuming in obeying her dark lord and empress.

Successfully, she stole Kim's power coin and infiltrated the Falconzord.

The strong hold Rita had on Kat was beginning to temper off upon seeing Kim strapped to Lord Zedd's mechanism. The Crane's pink power, slowly draining from her already frail body. The dichotomy of the 'puppet'—her head wanting the demise, her heart being remorseful over this, was tearing her apart. Kat actually saw a bit of herself in Kim. Back in Australia, Kat was a renowned diver. People around her were cheering for her to be in the Olympics. Instead, she suffered an injury and wished to never ever be near a diving board. Finally, that fateful night, she broke through Rita's spell and ran into the Youth Center where Kim was privately training. Her heart shattered at watching Kim, the person that welcomed her with open arms, fall off the balance beam. She called for the paramedics.

While Kim was hospitalized, Kat profusely apologized for the errors of her way. She wasn't born like this, and she never asked for this either. She just came to Angel Grove because her dad took a job here, and she believed this was her break after the horrifying fall from the diving board. While at the park, Rita came out of nowhere and made her an unwilling servant Then, she was participating in the same acts as Goldar and Rito. Kim understood, and she didn't hold a grudge. Once Kim accepted her spot with Coach Schmidt, she chose Kat to take her place. At first, Kat wasn't sure she could accept this type of responsibility. Kim convinced her, and the rest was history. She became the Pink ranger on the Mighty Morphin team, followed by Zeo, and part of Turbo.

And every step of the way, Tommy was with her. She fell deeply in love with him, from the moment she laid eyes on him. A spell didn't dictate her real feelings. She enjoyed all the time she spent with Tommy. Kim's absence made the endeavor easier. So, once the letter came, the game changed. At first, she was upset, not believing her predecessor could say such horrid things to the man she supposedly loved. Then, Kat just wanted to help her leader, her friend, the one she held strong feelings for to get over his heartbreak. Instead, he began to reciprocate her feelings. She was so happy with the development; wedding bells were eventually resounding in her head.

That's how well things were going between the two, until, _she_ was on Divatox's ship.

"How is the teaching gig going," Kat snapped out of her thoughts.

"Great, really great. Elsa is planning to retire. She wants to spend her free time with her husband and daughter," he spoke of his current boss, Elsa Mercer.

Once reformed, Elsa fell in love with the real Dr. Anton Mercer. They married, and she became a mother to Trent. Following the nuptials, Elsa became pregnant with a daughter. Anton and Elsa agreed to name their daughter Francesca Kimberly Mercer. Though she actually loved her job overseeing Reefside High School, she loved her family more. She wished to be a stay at home mom, and of course Anton had the means to take care of his family.

"Knowing her background I can see why," Kat relayed knowingly. Again, there was that pregnant pause. Her eyes wandered around the restaurant, trying to break the frigid ice. "And, the hotel venture?"

"We're doing well, very well. You know, I'm actually surprised."

"Me too," Kat stated; she brought the glass of wine to her lips once more.

"Kat," Tommy requested, and she looked at him. This wasn't easy for him either, but they needed to finally talk about the past. "I'm sorry. I, I never should've led you on."

The weak apology caused Kat to bitterly laugh. "Led me on," she repeated, strategically tapping her fingernails on the table. Her eyes pierced Tommy, her dormant emotions coming to the forefront. "You know, when I relinquished the Turbo powers, I didn't know I was relinquishing you as well."

Tommy winced. If her words were a knife, he'd be dead where he sat. He saw the pain in her eyes. The pain he placed there. "You were there for me when the break up happened. You helped me to move on, and I genuinely cared for you, but you aren't her."

"And what if she had never been on board Divatox's ship," she supposed that was when his feelings for Kim came back.

"Then, I would've mustered the sense to come to her—wherever she would've been. Whether it was Florida or France."

"Even if we were together."

"I would've ended things eventually."

Kat took her turn and winced at his words.

"I'm sorry, Kat," Tommy genuinely apologized for his actions from all those years ago. "I know this is hard for you to hear." She nodded. "We really should have had a long, thorough talk about this when I decided to end things, but you rushed me out so quick."

"Well, what would you have done," she rushed whispered her question. "One minute, I'm going to England, confidently thinking my love life is going to be intact, but then, it was broken by _you._"

Other occupants of the restaurant curiously glanced at the two. Their fellow restaurateurs' words were climbing an octave.

Ignoring the stares, Tommy forged on. "You would've been even more heartbroken if we continued with our relationship. Somehow, some way, we would've broken up, whether it was you breaking up with me or one of us demanding a divorce."

"You don't know that," she lowly barked at him. The daggers appeared in her eyes once more. "Do you think I really wanted our relationship to happen?"

"Yes."

"No," she swiftly countered, a little hurt by his reply. "Yes, I fell in love with you from the moment I laid eyes on you, but I respected Kimberly, your beautiful. I was only supposed to be her replacement, which I did successfully. I replaced her on the battle field but also in her personal life. It was you, who reciprocated."

Shocked by her words, Tommy nodded as a form of surrender. Again, he was taking Kat's emotions for granted. She wasn't disposable at all. She was human for feeling like how she was. Guilt ridden, he spoke. "You're right, I did want the relationship."

Satisfied, she continued. "You've already made it clear. You love Kim, have always loved Kim, and I realized I could never compare to her. As much as I wanted to be your Crane, your Beautiful, I couldn't do it. I couldn't be her," she admitted. "And when you broke things off, I knew she was the reason. You know, I used to think she had everything."

"Everything," he wondered.

They received their plates of food. They took a break from the emotionally draining conversation, and they ate in silence. Each requested for more liquor. They supposed this was the liquid courage they needed to reopen stitched wounds.

"Everything," Kat repeated, after wiping her mouth. She earnestly looked into Tommy's chocolate brown eyes. "A great set of friends, a budding career in gymnastics, and a loving, supporting boyfriend. Part of me was envious of her."

"Kat, you have nothing to be envious about," Tommy was confused. "You're gorgeous, funny, smart, and I know Mike was smitten with you from the moment he laid eyes on you. There was no reason for you to be jealous of my wife."

_My wife_, the words rang in her ears. The title she couldn't snag. "You still don't understand how much it did hurt. I cried all the way to England. I lost you, and that was a terrible feeling. You don't know how that felt," she accused, forgetting about _the letter._

Tommy shook his head. "I do," he firmly stated.

"If that was the case, then you should've never broken up with me!"

"It had to happen."

"Because you two had a son," she threw salt on his wounds by bringing him up. "Everything made a lot more sense after you two revealed the severity of your relationship." She watched Tommy's pained expression. "I wasn't your first, but you were mine."

"Kat..." he gravely said her name.

"You and Kim, you guys are meant for each other. Both of you are resilient, having bounced back from giving birth to move on with your lives the way you guys did. I know you and your wife are strong."

"Thank you."

"It's not a problem, Tommy. I had came to this conclusion you were fake, prancing around with this good guy facade, and you _used_ me to get over her," she held her hand up, wishing he wouldn't interject. She smiled sorrowfully, since she was finally relieving herself of the pent up anger and love towards Tommy. "Let me continue," she wished, and he nodded. "Then, you and her became a couple, got engaged, had a child, marriage, and the fact there was this hidden son, I witnessed it all. My anger was so great because I could never have all of you, but she could."

"It has always been Kim. She's held my heart, since the halls of Angel Grove High School. We definitely had our downs, but that's only made me love her more," he heartily confessed.

She nodded in understanding. Her thoughts drifted to her loving and faithful husband. "I've actually experienced the love you have for Kim. It's from Mike. He truly loves me inside and out, and I feel so guilty. Ever since getting with him, I've been emotionally cheating on him with you, or at least, what we used to share. I love him though. I truly do love my husband."

"No one, not even for second, doubts your feelings for him."

"Thank you, Tommy," she wiped under her eyes, preventing chips of mascara from descending. "I _am_ not Kim, and I can finally let go of the past. You are a good guy and deserve everything you have."

"But Kat, I, thank you, but I never truly wanted to hurt you. This must've been so hard for you to say and talk about."

"We finally needed to talk and sit down, Tommy. I've missed our friendship. Before we became a couple, we were friends, right," she witnessed him nod. "Now, we are tolerable strangers. I hate this feeling more than the time you actually ended things with me," she softly laughed, which caused his lips to form into a smile for the first time since he's entered this establishment. "You were my first love, and I'll cherish you for as long as I live."

"And you will always have a place in my heart," he informed. "Thank you, Kat for no longer hating me," she gave an obligatory nod. "Mike's really lucky to have a wife like you."

She basked in his compliment. "I couldn't hate you even if I tried. Same goes for Kimberly. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have the life I have now. Everything happens for a reason," she confided.

Their waiter reappeared at their table. "Dessert, sir, madame," he questioned.

Kat's eyes brightened, and she eagerly nodded.

"Go ahead, Kat, order your dessert. This whole meal is on me," he winked at her. This was the least he could do, and this acted as a peace offering.

She ordered, and Kat thankfully smiled at Tommy. The animosity dwindled, and they were friendly with one another. That's all either could ask for.

And, she finally got the answers she's always wanted.

**Xxxxx**

**June 2008  
24 Hour Fitness  
Reefside, CA**

"Good morning, Jase," Kim greeted, as she went to the weights. Two hours ago, she asked if her brother wanted to workout this morning.

His gym pass allowed him access to all 24 Hour Fitness clubs, so he agreed. "Morning, Kim," He indifferently said, as he picked up 100 lbs dumbbells. Then, he walked in front of the mirror. He began to work out his arms, making sure his form was good.

She followed suit, grabbing a free barbell and placing 20 lbs weights on each side. She started with sumo squats.

_One rep._.. two reps..._ three reps_...

Inhale... _exhale..._ Inhale... _exhale..._

Sweat began to surface, as they continued. Pretty soon, they switched the equipment. Kim, now, had 20 lbs dumbbells, and Jason increased the weights on the barbell to 100 lbs. The strenuous workout went on.

Soon, Kim became wholly invested with her workout. She was nervous to talk to Jason, but she needed to clear the air. He really did seem to avoid her, which caused so much hurt in her heart. She would never hold anything back, so why he began, she just didn't get it.

Kim and Jason had been close since they were young. Their moms worked at the same marketing company; their dads often met for golf on the weekends. Blood was the only thing to determine they weren't brother and sister, but that didn't matter to them—especially to Jason. He would protect her no matter what.

In the first grade, Jason and Kim met Zack, and then the duo became a trio. When third grade came, Billy entered the picture, and the trio became a quartet. Finally, the quartet formed into a quintet when Trini transferred to Angel Grove Middle School. The quintet was very close, and in high school, they took on the responsibility to protect the world together. After a very rough and rocky start, Tommy became the sixth person to join their group. All were indefinitely bonded.

Since the power, they were still like a family. They knew about each others' lives, and they often had get togethers. They were this force; no one could break them, not even a malicious being.

Sadly, as of right now, there was a divide between a few, and Kim believed she started it.

"Ow, ow," Kim overworked her muscles. The sharp pain shot throughout her right arm. She winced at the uncomfortable feeling.

Immediately, Jason dropped his barbell. He went to check on Kim, and he felt the tenderness forming. He shook his head. Sometimes she overdid her workouts. He went to his duffel bag and grabbed a towel and Biofreeze spray. The spray would alleviate sore muscles by casting a cooling sensation.

_Two pumps._

He checked on her once again.

"How are you feeling," he asked, concerned for her well being.

"I'm good," her eyes squinted, as she moved her position, telling otherwise. "There's just been a lot on my mind."

"You need to be careful, Kim," he wished, as he examined once more. "You might do worse damage next time." Once he was done, he resumed his workout. He exhaled heavily, as he pulled the weighted bar upwards.

Kim watched, and then she finally spoke up. "You're mad at me," she stated rather than questioned. She felt the void from him. He put up a good front, but after Kat's heads up, she wanted this talk. She wanted to make everything between them right.

Jason almost dropped the item in his hands after hearing her words. He ignored what she said, and he kept pushing through this intense exercise. "Nothing's wrong," he tightly said, as he continued.

"You're a horrible liar, you know that."

"Takes one to know one."

"I don't think I lied. I just kept a certain part of my life from you."

"You didn't need to."

"I had to."

"You know, that's been said a lot lately," he mentioned through gritted teeth. The facade he held slowly dissolved, and the truth came to light. He was very, very angry with her. She kept her son from him. "I've known you since you were little, never did I judge you when you couldn't get the potty training thing down," he reminisced. "And you were the jelly to my peanut butter." He placed the bar down gently. He turned to her. The hostile emotions were clearly painted on his muscular features, while sadness was plastered all over her pretty face. "Why?"

Kim shrugged. "At that time, we just felt it was best. We were a little embarrassed we began to have sex so soon, and when we found out I was pregnant... that day was so, well, emotionally draining," she painfully described. She looked at Jason, hoping to see a little glimmer of understanding. Instead, all she saw was even more darkness behind his brown eyes.

Jason believed she was too young to engage in such an act. "I'm sorry, but didn't we take the same reproductive class during freshman year? I'm positive we did. You watched, though at that time it was hard for us to swallow, hell I couldn't even look at banana the same way again, but the condom was placed on the banana. That would help to prevent pregnancies," he lectured her as if she was a pubescent girl.

"We tried them," she revealed angrily, wanting him to understand that they were actually hurting Tommy. Yes, the circular, protective rubbers were actually cutting off his circulation. "He's not exactly of normal size."

"Oh, that's way more than I wanted to hear about him," he covered his ears dramatically, contorting his face into a disgusted expression. "Do you always have to talk on his behalf?"

"He's not here to defend himself, is he," she countered bravely. "He _is_ my husband, the father to my daughter... and son."

He clenched his fists. "Well, haven't you heard of abstinence?"

"Pshhh."

"What the hell do you mean 'pshh'," he asked her, mad that she was being so careless about this whole entire thing.

"If I remember correctly, you and Trini began to have sex in Switzerland. She had a pregnancy scare."

"Scare, it was just a scare."

"Obviously, you hadn't take the right precaution either," she spat with venom laced in her voice. She was not backing down from her brother. At this point, she was on a warpath, hell bent on making him see he was being unreasonable.

"It was one fucking time, at least a baby didn't actually result," he responded with malicious intent and without thought, he said the most hurtful words he could to Kim. "If I did have a baby that young, I damn sure wouldn't give the child up for adoption."

The words broke the straw on the camel's back. She hastily rose from the bench she was resting on. She damned the piercing pain that was still relevant. All she wanted to do was attack her brother, but she refrained. There was no point. Hitting him wouldn't get them anywhere. She stared at Jason, and she was about to cry. Tears broke on the surface of her eyes.

That was a low blow.

She grabbed her pink duffel bag and rushed out.

Jason was about to pick up the exercise equipment once again, since he felt satisfaction from getting his point across. But, then, the hurt in Kim's eyes kept flashing in his mind. He was never supposed to be the one to do that to her. He, too, grabbed his stuff and rushed out the establishment.

"Kim, look, I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely. He jogged up to her. They were by her White Nissan Armada with pink accents. "I was out of line there."

"Way out of line," she shouted at him, and she could no longer hold the sadness in. The tears were unleashed. She cried for what seemed like five minutes, unable to contain her emotions. She felt Jason's strong arms wrap around her. She almost became stiff at the gesture, but she knew they weren't enemies. She finally reciprocated. "Jase, we," she cleared her throat, "_I_ was scared. I was young, just about 15, pregnant, fighting supernatural forces, going to school, and training for gymnastics. How was I supposed to add taking care of a child on all of that?"

"Honestly... I don't know," he finally confessed. "If you told all of us, we would've protected, helped, made sure you had support every step of the way."

"I had great support. Trust me. With Tommy, Alpha 5, and Zordon," she huskily whispered into his shirt. "They did a great job."

_Zordon_

"But, I'm your brother," he stressed, as a reminder.

"Who was about to leave Angel Grove, with the love of his life, and help with the Peace Conference in a different country, different continent at that. If we did have him, you still wouldn't have been able to care for him," she reasoned.

"I would've of found a way."

"How," she detached from him and looked him seriously in the eye. "It's not like you would've given up an opportunity like that." She shook her head. "You _are_ my brother, to the hell with DNA! But, no one else needed to be put in the predicament Tommy and I placed ourselves in. **He** would've been captured, **he** would've been used as a pawn, and all of you would've been taken because you would've protected him."

"But."

"No, buts, Jason," she interjected forcefully. She brushed her palm underneath her nose and used her fingers to wipe under her eyes. "We knew when we told you, and everyone else, about him, that we would be met with backlash, but what really hurts the most was when you kept your disgust and anger away from me and Tommy. I had to find out from Kat, who wasn't exactly happy with Tommy and I either."

"I wanted to be hero. Be able to get my little sister out of jam, watch out for her, and I couldn't do that."

She smiled at him because that wasn't his job anymore. "You know, sometimes you have to let go," she said softly. "I'm not the same Kimberly that always ran to her big, stand in brother, Jason. I got older, became stronger, and I have a husband who makes me better. Truly, Jase, I'm sorry for keeping the pregnancy hidden after all these years, but we believed it was for everyone's benefit—especially _**his."**_

"Don't you mean, Jayden," he asked, reminding her they actually had a name. He slung his arm around Kim in a loving manner. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so selfish. I should have had trust in you and Tommy. After all, he's looked out for you when I couldn't."

"Thanks, Jase, I love you, as in a big brother type of way," she lightly laughed.

"Well of course, your husband would try to kick my ass if otherwise," he readily agreed with a smile.

"Right," Tommy's wife rolled her eyes. "The sad part, your wife could kick your ass worse than my husband could."

Jason winced. "You are so right." He motioned for her to lead the way back to the gym.

Kim laughed again and genuinely smiled. This was her big brother alright, and all he wanted to do was protect her. She understood, but she had her reasons for keeping the pregnancy and adoption a secret. For once, she wanted to protect him.

**Xxxxx**

**July 2008  
Bulkmeier's Hotel & Cabana-Pool Side  
Angel Grove, CA**

Jason escorted his wife and his children to the pool. He gave a cordial nod to Bulk and Skull, part owners to this place. He helped to put sunblock on his kids, and he waited for his friends and niece to come meet them.

Bulkmeier's Hotel & Cabana was established in early 2000. Bulk and Skull made a proposition to their investor about opening this spacious, upscale hotel, so the tourists, who were excited to be in the 'Home of the Power Rangers', had a place to stay. Seeing that this was a lucrative opportunity, the investor couldn't pass this up.

Dr. Thomas 'Tommy' Oliver wasn't only a high school teacher; he was the one who put money up to make this hotel he co-owned with Bulk and Spike. The bumbling idiots from high school had matured, and Tommy credited that to the things these two have seen—becoming officers of Angel Grove, traveling far distances, and being witness to several incarnations of Power Rangers. Of course, the two put everything together, and they were very much honored to be close friends to past rangers. In addition, Skull had a son, named Spike, so this was a way to provide stability for him.

Tommy, Kim, and Sophia arrived at the pool about ten minutes later. Sophia immediately ran up to the former bullies of Angel Grove High. She gave them bear hugs. She enjoyed these two like no other. Husband and wife also smiled at them. Tommy went to give them a manly hug, and he spoke about business. Kim made sure to place their items next to the Scott Family. She, too, protected her daughter from the sun's rays.

After that, the kids went to the pool, and they began to peddle in the cool water, while Trini and Kim talked and watched the kids.

Jason took that as his cue to head over to the bar. There, he saw Kim's husband, and he wanted to talk to him about his talk with Kim. He wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings, and he even felt obligated to apologize for his hostility. He arrived at his destination, and he ordered a Budweiser. He sat right next to Tommy.

For a little, the men drank in silence.

Finally, Jason spoke. "I just want to tell you, I am sorry for how I've acted lately. The shock of your guys' secret was an emotional blow, an act of betrayal. I thought I knew everything about you two," he said his sorry with honesty laced in. "I hope you understand."

Tommy throatily swallowed his swig of beer. "Of course I understand. Jase, do you remember the time I told you I was going to ask Kim to the dance?"

Jason smirked. "I'm not the one with the memory problem," he placed his beer on the counter and nodded.

"I was so nervous to ask her, but I came to you because I wanted your approval. I knew how close you and Kim were; I just wanted to make sure it was okay. You were the first one to know how deep my feelings for her ran."

"It's not like they weren't obvious."

"But you were the closest to her."

"I did approve, but Kim was her own person. If I said one thing about that greasy ass ponytail you had, she would smack me across my face," Jason laughed about his little sister. "I've always wanted to protect her, but my talk with her made me realize something."

"And what's that," Tommy questioned, playing with his empty bottle. He ordered another beer.

"All the protection she needed was in the form of _you,"_ the first leader to a group of Power Rangers genuinely stated. "Of course, I approved of your guys' relationship. Your friends and your parents, your adopted parents, were the only people that really approved. Remember, Kim's mom wasn't exactly too happy about the relationship."

Tommy's eyes bugged out at the recognition. "Who are you telling?"

Jason chuckled. "But, obviously Charlotte warmed up. She loves you, and she knows you have been taking care of Kim, since you guys got back together," he looked at Tommy earnestly. "At first, I was very angry about you two not cluing me in about this hidden adoption. I mean, I would've helped. I would've found a way," he repeated because he was that serious. "You guys are the closest to me, besides Trini," he, then, glanced at his wife, who looked absolutely gorgeous as the sun illuminated her features, "I just felt left out."

"But you aren't left out anymore. Like Kim said, you could've pulled me to the side, talk to me about this, sparred with me. It's been four years since the truth was unleashed; you didn't have to hold your anger in for so long," Tommy firmly relayed. He really thought of Jason as his brother. Jason was his best man at the wedding, Godfather to Sophia, and he knew that if they kept their son, Jason would've been the Godfather to him too.

"You're right," Jason agreed, and then he ordered beverages for the closest people around them. The waiter went to take the drinks over. "I was so used to protecting and knowing every single aspect of her life, your life, I was in utter surprise when this was revealed. My hurt got the best of me, rather than trying to really help."

"You've always been there for us."

"Lately, I haven't."

"I know you want to find him just as much as we want to."

"I admit though, I did have some jealously towards you," Jason revealed, much to Tommy's surprise. "Yeah, before Trini, Zack, and I got the news we were going to Switzerland, you come back as the White Ranger and sudden leader to the team. I became your subordinate. That hurt to the core. Coupled with you being there for Kim in ways I couldn't, I became overwhelmed and it boiled over."

"Bro, let's just not worry about the past. We need to move forward, but just know I apologize too," the Multicolored ranger clanked his beer bottle with the past Red and Gold ranger.

With this understanding between them, the two went back to the their families. On the way there, Tommy spoke about the plans he's been devising. He clued Jason in.

"What took you so long," Trini asked, as she took a drink of her margarita.

"We were talking," Jason answered his wife's question. He looked at Tommy. "Do you think they can handle this?"

Tommy glanced over his shoulders. Bulk forgot to place the cap on the blender, and the drink he was mixing spurted all over the large man. This was just like old times. He heard the cackling laughter from Skull. "I believe they can handle it."

Kim nodded. "Alright, then talk to them," she ordered, and she placed her drink down. She walked towards the pool, since she was ready to take a dip.

"What's going on," Trini curiously questioned them. Lately, she seemed to be full of questions. "Is someone gonna answer?"

Jason kissed his wife. "You wouldn't believe me, if I told you," he ushered her to the pool.

Tommy returned to his business partners.


	10. Chapter 10- The Beginning

**A/N:** And... here we go! The next chapters will be about Jayden's life as the Red Samurai ranger. Most will be 'missing moments' from the episodes that I choose to focus on. In addition, my second favorite romance, which is from this season will start to develop.

**A/N: **Along with month and year, I'll put the episode I'm focusing on. This chapter covers **Origins Pt 1&2 to Day Off.**

**Again, I just want to thank everyone who has reviewed, and, or followed this story. It means a lot to me, since I thought my writing had diminished in some way. Please continue to read, as there will be more in store.**

**Xxxxx**

**Chapter 10- The Beginning**

**February 2011  
Origins Pt. 1  
Shiba House- Jayden's Room  
Panorama City, CA**

For the past month, Moogers, foot soldiers of the Netherworld, had been seeping through the cracks causing the gap sensor to go off in the Shiba House. The buzzing sound would alert Jayden, the now Red Samurai ranger. Ji would activate the water map, and the location of the attack was clearly seen. Jayden would head to that part of the city and fight the evil. By himself, he was doing a great job, protecting innocent civilians. He utilized his Spin Sword with swift movements, and when more foot soldiers came his way. To increase fire power, he would grab his Spin Disc. The Moogers perished into smithereens. Underneath his helmet, he often smirked at his victory.

A one man force was all that was needed. Ji's words from earlier meant nothing to him.

"_There are four others, who have trained for these dark days. They await the call to join you and fight as Samurai rangers."_

He accepted his duty, a simple stand in for his sister, Lauren, a long time ago. How could he be leader? His sister was the true 18th Shiba Head. These were _her_ subordinates. The raging war had just began, and if the Nighlocks, with two forms, came into the picture, his lone Lionzord wouldn't be able to stand a chance. He actually knew that.

Jayden exhaled his breath. His eyes wandered to the picture of him and his dad from when he just began to train. The fatherly love and pride was expressed crystal clear. He wished he still had his dad's guidance. Sadly, that was long gone.

"I'm going to make you proud," Mathew's son boldly declared.

He exited his room, overhearing Ji on the phone. He ignored his Mentor's activity, and he went outside to sit on the steps. He always enjoyed his folding zord. The Red Lion would undo itself, and they playfully interacted—like the Dove and Red Lion from his dreams. He shook his head of those thoughts. For the past year, the dreams had subsided. The illusory animals hadn't crossed paths. He was thankful he's been able to get a full night's rest, but his thoughts stayed. He wondered why they suddenly stopped.

Honestly, over the course of a year, he was actually looking forward to occurrences that would happen at night. The dreams were obviously symbolic, so he wanted them to happen. He would make sense of it. After all, he was older, wiser. And the Red Lion and the Dove were such great friends. Something he hadn't been able to experience, himself, since Antonio.

Jarred out his thoughts, Mentor rushed to tell him the time had finally come. Ignore the apprehensiveness and lead the other Samurai rangers into battle was the his Mentor's wish. Ji then struck a chord with Jayden.

"Just remember your father's words, as he left for his final battlle," Mentor reminded him as he rose to his feet. He implored Jayden's ocean colored eyes, and he wanted his pupil to finally fulfill his destiny. It's what his dad would've wanted.

_"This is to be yours. One day, the great responsibility of being the Red ranger will fall to you. Remember, protect the world from evil, stand by your allies, and never run from a battle."_

The scene replayed in front of him. His dad's teammates urgently running to protect the world, his dad releasing the zord to him, and then he was off—for his final battle. "You're right Ji," he consequently agreed. "I'll never forget his last words. I must not fail. I am the Red ranger," he confidently finished.

Ji nodded with pride. He shot arrows in the air. These arrows were special and would call upon the requested ranger. The first one gone was Green, followed by Pink, then Yellow and Blue. The Red ranger trailed Ji's footsteps, and they were back in the house. Opening a secret compartment, Mentor revealed the rest of the Samuraizers. Jayden scooped them up and placed the phones into his red bag. He traveled to the front of the house, grabbed his Samuraizer, and he drew the symbol for 'horse'. He climbed the beautiful, white beast with red accents, and he quickly galloped to meet the team, disregarding they were Lauren's followers.

As the gates closed, Ji sighed. "He's fulfilling what his dad has asked of him," he said, happiness evident in his voice. He went to the inside of the home and called the same person as before. "Ike, did Kevin make the right choice?"

''_Of course he did. He's accepted his duty to aid the Red ranger, and I knew he would abandon his goal of swimming_," he truthfully replied. "_How is Jayden taking this?_"

"He's been hesitant. The stress has piled on him, and I know he's worried because this isn't really his obligation."

"_When this plan was concocted, I didn't believe he would rise to the challenge," _Ike was amazed by Jayden surpassing all these hurdles._ "After all, he isn't even a descenden_t."

"Right," Mentor thickly said. Somehow, some way Jayden did acquire a serious amount of power. He believed the power transcended Lauren's. "I haven't been able to tell him. After all these years, I still can't reveal something that monstrous."

"_Ji, you are your own person, and you've spent such a great deal of time with Jayden. Daisuke means well, but you know better_," Ike wanted to help the torn Mentor. "_Jayden has a lot on his plate already. The thought of knowing the family he's had, isn't really his, would crush him and his spirits. You wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you did that to him_."

"He should know though."

"_You are right. He should, but you'll figure out when the time is right_," Kevin's father sincerely comforted. "_Thank you, Ji. Please watch after my son and give him my best wishes,_" he ended the phone call. The next time he would talk to his son or Mentor would be when this fight was done.

Ji securely placed his bronzed phone in a hidden crevice of his outfit. He walked to a particular shelf. There was the last family picture to be taken. Mathew with his ash brown hair, strong, blue eyes, wide, Kool Aid smile, cradling Jayden and Lauren against him. And then, he looked at Nina. The beautiful woman with blonde waves, expressive brown eyes, and exuding the essence of a strong a mother. Lauren had this youthful and joyous glow to her, and her long, blonde, straight hair laid perfectly. This was Jayden's _only_ family.

He took the photo down. No one was to see this.

**Xxxxx**

**The Next Day  
Origins Pt. 2  
Shiba House  
Panorama City, CA  
**

"Mike, clean that glitter up," Mentor reprimanded firmly, and he went to grab a broom and pan. He handed them over, he covered his chest with his arms as he watched. The fun and games were over. "When you said you learned a new symbol, I thought it would help to defeat the Nighlock, not party with the Nighlock."

"I-I," Mike, Green Samurai ranger, stuttered over his words. He went to clean the mess he made. Earlier, he was having trouble drawing a forest related kanji symbol, but he was surely able whip up some 'fun'.

"That's a good one," Kevin, Ike's son and Blue Samurai ranger, eagerly sucked up to Mentor Ji with a fake, wide grin. Mentor shook his head. "Uh, right," the Blue ranger sheepishly bowed his head down.

They've already been in two battles. Yesterday, Jayden went to downtown, and he informed Kevin, Mike, Mia, and Emily, Samurai rangers to be, of the choice they had to make. They were to only fight because they wanted to, not because this was dictated by their families. Ultimately, they had to abandon their lives outside of the Shiba compound. All readily agreed. About a hundred Moogers came their way, and they plowed through. The quintet even used their rightful weapons, entered their zords and they defeated their first Nighlock, Tooya.

Not even an hour ago, they were engaged in a heated battle with their second Nighlock, Scorpionic. This fight was slightly different, as they formed the Samurai Megazord. Nonetheless, they were victorious. Now, they were back at the Shiba House. Their quarters for their duration as rangers.

Emily smiled, though she was still resentful of earlier. She definitely felt to be the weakest link on this team. After all, Serena, her older sister, was to be the Yellow Samurai ranger. She took in her surroundings, and she watched the cute, Green ranger. She went to help him. "Here," she grabbed the dustpan. "I'll hold this, and you can sweep all of that into here," she told him with a smile.

Mike accepted her help. He flashed a million dollar grin. "Thanks, Emily," he noticed the bubbly blonde at once, and he was anxious to get to know her more.

"It's no problem," she replied, and she noted he was staring at her, a few seconds longer than needed. She blushed, and she nervously tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear.

Kevin glanced at all the books. "Wow," he murmured under this breath. "This is amazing," he went to read one.

Meanwhile, Mia walked to her room. She was still in awe of everything in front of her. Her fingers swept the intricate, Japanese carvings. Her eyes surveyed everything in this spacious, one story home. Her body arrived at a bookcase, and she picked up a picture. She gently caressed the photo, and she placed it back on the mantle. She turned, and there was her leader.

"Ah," she yelped in surprise. Her chest elevated up and down. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry," Jayden sincerely apologized. "You were unaccounted for all of a sudden, and I, um, we, were wondering where you had gone."

"Oh, I see, I was just heading to my room," was her response; she nervously smiled, while playing with her fingers. "I had been meaning to tell you, you have a nice home."

"Thanks," he said his gratitude, and he peered over her shoulder. He saw the photograph she was staring at. He walked over to the framed item. "I was kind of hoping Ji would put away the embarrassing pictures."

She let out a small laugh. "You were cute as a clown," she complimented kindly. "I was a clown for Halloween also. Must be something with the Samurai rangers' moms." She watched Jayden's pained expression form. "I'm so sorry, Jayden. I didn't know," she was able to come to a conclusion. His mother was no longer on this Earth.

Jayden ducked his head down. "It's alright; I don't think everyone knows," he figured and shrugged his shoulders.

He looked at Mia, Pink Samurai ranger with a set of serene brown pools. She's done well. She quickly accepted what was expected of her, she maneuvered her Sky Fan with precision, and she commanded her Turtlezord with much power. Not to mention, her beauty was lethal. His breath was knocked out of him, from the moment he saw her. At first, he thought this was because he hadn't been around a female. The onset of puberty had passed a long time ago, but the raging hormones were still intensely present in his body. Emily was a nice girl, in his opinion, but Mia—there was something different about her.

The Red ranger already felt he overstepped his boundaries, so he was about to walk away, but she stopped him.

"You know, I don't know what it's like to lose a parent, let alone both, but if they did see how you were today, I know they would be proud," she sincerely comforted, and she walked up to him. He faced her, and she implored his sapphires. She was amazed by his strength. Her mom told her the story of the final battle and how their leader didn't survive. All her life, she's wondered what _her_ leader was going to be like. Now, she was about to find out. "Thank you for leading us into battle. I'm proud to serve by you."

He slightly flinched under the unfamiliar feeling of a woman's touch; one that wasn't his mom's or sister's. He slowly grew accustomed though. "Um," he cleared the sudden dryness in his throat. "Thank you for being here."

"What are you two doing," Mike slyly asked from the doorway to this private section of the house. He had a Grinch like grin formed on his.

"Nothing," Mia's cheeks were flushed, at this point. She immediately parted from Jayden. "What's up?"

"Mentor wants everyone to come and eat dinner. He's going to finally go over the house rules," the Green ranger answered, as his eyes bounced between Jayden and Mia.

"Right, dinner," Mia walked towards the kitchen area. A place where she felt like she could express herself.

As she walked away, Jayden closely watched her movements. He salivated at the way her hips swayed.

Mike looked over to his leader. He chuckled. "Pick your mouth up," he sarcastically advised, "if you don't, then this house will become and flooded, and you'll be the one cleaning up the mess." He headed back to the kitchen.

Jayden snapped out of his not so platonic thoughts of his teammate. Things couldn't go farther than friendship. He couldn't fall, or have a crush on her. He knew that would be one of the rules. He took his seat next to a safe person, Kevin.

The five rangers and Ji were sitting around a rectangular table. Ji cooked a hearty meal consisting of brown rice, stir fry vegetables, and seasoned tilapia. Each had color coordinated plates, silverware, and cups. They all respectfully bowed to one another, and they dug into their meal.

"This is great," Mike obnoxiously chomped on his food. "Ji, you sure know how to cook."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Mike, be respectful," he asserted lightly, as he strategically analyzed his plate. He was unsure of where to start first. He decided to eat the vegetables.

"Ji, if it's not too much to ask for, I'd like to cook breakfast tomorrow," Mia politely offered, after she fully chewed her food and swallowed. "I want to pull my weight around here."

"That sounds perfect," Mentor nodded, and he smiled at her. "Anyone else care to cook around here?"

"Na, I'd rather eat," the Green ranger continued the relationship with his dinner. "Is there going to be dessert after this?"

Mentor tossed a deadly look at Mike, which caused him to cower.

"This meal is truly wonderful," Emily complimented the chef. "Usually, I'm used to eating red meat, which is harvested at my house."

"Is that a country thing," Mike wondered.

"Mike, be nice," Mia gently admonished, as she cut into her fish. "So, Kevin, how are you liking the meal," she kept watch, as he cut his fish into eight uniform pieces.

"Oh, it's great, it's wonderful, it's delicious," the Blue ranger enthusiastically stated, as he lined the food up next.

"You've haven't taken a bite yet," Mentor noted, as he kept watching Kevin separate his food.

Kevin took a nicely proportioned bite. "It's very good," he sheepishly stated around a mouth full of carbohydrates, protein, and vegetables. "Mia, what do you plan on cooking for tomorrow?"

The Pink ranger thought for a bit. "Hm, I don't know. I'll have to think about it, so it's a surprise," she answered.

Jayden ate in silence. He listened to the conversations, but he wasn't exactly ready to be an active participant. It was a little overwhelming to be around this many people at one time. At the Tengen Gate, he felt comfortable, almost protected by the Elder Guardian, Senior and Junior guardians. In his own home, the feeling of this being a safe haven dissolved. After swallowing another bite, he took a very good look at his fellow rangers: Mike, the class clown, Emily, the all American girl, Kevin, the geek, Mia, the popular girl, and him, the social outcast. All different, but all were vying for the same goal.

Mentor Ji's eyes stalked Jayden, and he wasn't happy with what he saw. Part of him was disappointed with his pupil being so unsociable. The other teens were having fun, interacting with each other. And there was Jayden only eating.

"Did you see how I used my Forest Spear," Mike cockily stated, so he could bring the attention back to him. "I had no clue that thing was so powerful."

"You did a wonderful job," Emily thoughtfully piped up. She stared at Mike with twinkles in her eyes. Then, she awkwardly looked at the people in front of her. With embarrassment, she forced a chuckle and paid more attention to her food.

"Mike, there's more to being a Samurai ranger than just using a weapon," the Blue ranger informed, as he placed his utensils down. "Discipline is definitely involved."

"Why don't we go over the rules of the house," Mentor interjected, and he looked at everyone. Once he got their attention, he relayed what's expected and to come. "I have my own room, as does Jayden. Mia and Emily will be in the room on the east side, and Mike and Kevin will be in the room on the west side. Every morning, we will wake up at 6:00 AM, that will give all of you a chance to be take a shower, eat a breakfast, and prepare yourself for the day. Mia, you understand you would to wake up a bit earlier, so you could prepare breakfast and get ready, right?"

"Yes, I understand, Mentor," she replied.

Mentor nodded, and he continued. "At 7:00 AM, we will start training. We will train throughout the day, have lunch at 12:00 PM, dinner at 6:00 PM, and we will always be on high alert when the Nighlocks enter this world. Be there for one another, never attempt a battle on your own, and always keep your identities a secret. Also, no fraternization," he demanded.

"Fraterni-what," Mike questioned in an incredulous tone.

"He doesn't want any of us dating," Kevin clarified for the Green ranger exasperatedly. He wondered if his kid was born on a different planet.

Mia rose her hand.

"Yes, Mia," Mentor beckoned.

"Do you mean each other, or anyone else that doesn't live _this_ life," she shyly questioned, hoping to not hint to anything.

"Both," Mentor enforced. "There are some penalties if no one follows these rules. An extra hour of training, cleaning around the house, and maybe even your Samuraizer will be taken away. I believe all of you can follow what I have preset."

"What does-" Mike was stopped.

"Laid out, said, talked about," Kevin answered the unasked question.

"Hey, how did you know," Mike sang with a smile. He bit into a carrot, as he looked at his new teammate. "You must be the smart guy."

Mia and Emily laughed at the two males.

"Alright, get some rest," Mentor ordered. "Training in the morning," he got out of his seat, and he went to clear the table.

Mike, Emily, Jayden, and Kevin left to go to their rooms. Mia decided to stay, and she went to help Mentor. Ji smiled at the extra help. It wasn't needed, but he didn't mind either. They cleaned in silence, finally Mia spoke.

"Mentor, do you have any containers," she wondered.

"Yes, they're right there," he pointed to the cabinet behind her. "Do you like it here?"

"Yes, I do. This place is very nice, and I like everyone already," she replied, while putting the uneaten food in storage containers, "so far. I think we are all different, but will be a family, something that Jayden needs."

He stopped dead in his tracks upon hearing her words. What exactly did she know? He needed to find out. "Uh, if you don't mind me asking, what do you mean by that?"

She placed the filled containers in the refrigerator. "Both of his parents are deceased. He's dedicated his life to learning about what it is to be a Samurai ranger, just like the rest of us. But, it seems he had to give up a lot more to continue his dad's legacy."

"He's not the only one," Mentor said and elaborated further. "Mike was set to graduate high school, go to college, but he stayed true to his roots. Literally. Kevin was going to the Olympics for swimming, but he chose his dad's footsteps. And I'm sure Emily is following what her mom wanted, though she doesn't have to. And you," he watched, as she stopped and faced him, "you are your mother's main caretaker. You worked at the child development center only when you had free time, which was hardly ever because your mom needs you."

"Yes..." Mia's voice trailed off. Her mother was severely hurt in the final battle with Master Xandred close to 15 years ago, and the memories of her mom's recovery was still relevant. She shook her head. This wasn't about her. "Jayden's probably endured a lot more training, and I'm sure its always been you two. Always dealing with each other, staying in this mansion together, and well, I just want you and him to know, you two aren't alone anymore."

Mentor softened at her kind words. He was really beginning to like Mia, and he believed she was the heart of this team. Her friendly aura, being motherly, she was a true Pink. "So, he told you," he asked.

Mia shook her head. "Not exactly. I was looking at an old picture, spoke of my mom, and he had this look on his face. I just assumed, but he confirmed," she responded, and she went to wipe down the, now, empty table.

"Mia, why don't you rest. I'm sure you had a long day," Mentor offered to take over. She nodded and left the kitchen. He finished cleaning, and then he was off to bed.

**Xxxxx**

**The Next Day  
The Team Unites  
Bulk's Quarter's  
Panorama City, CA**

Bulk sat at his table. It was one quarter of the size his dining room table was back in Angel Grove. He sighed, a little sad. Honestly, he was homesick. He'd been in this city for the past year and a half. Unlike the lifestyle he lived in his hometown, he lived a really measly life in his place.

There was a reason though.

Tommy, his hotel partner, requested several people to do a recon mission in search for his and Kim's son. They had some promising leads, which produced about a dozen cities like: Cincinnati, Detroit, New York City, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle, Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans, Chicago, and here, Panorama City. Bulk chose to stay a little closer to home, so Panorama City was it for him. The picturesque town definitely appealed to him because he was near the calming ocean. Not only that, but he got to witness ranger related activity.

Bulk invested himself in this mission. He was a little too into it. He had no access to his expanse bank accounts, so he could blend in more. He would arise suspicion if he rolled into town with his Bentley. He hardly made contact with his wife because he didn't want her to be apart of this plan, or anywhere near the danger. He remembered his infamous encounter with Goldar. He shuddered at the thought of almost being tossed off the rocky mountain. He moved her to Australia, so she could be with her family. Barely, he made contact with his friends and partners, especially Skull and Tommy. He really didn't have any updates anyways. He took this seriously for the most part.

Yet, here he was with Skull's teenage son, Spike. He looked over at his nephew. He was snoring loudly. Back in Angel Grove, Spike was having some issues, engaging in the same tormenting behavior as his Dad. Although, he seemed as innocent as a baby, that was actually far from the truth. He was sent to live with his Uncle Bulk for a couple of reasons. First of all, he needed to become wiser and little more respectful. Second, his Uncle Bulk was going to teach him a thing or two about the Samurai rangers apparently.

This was one of the few times he broke character. He used his phone to call Tommy.

"Hey-a boss," Bulk expectantly greeted lowly.

_"What did you say?"_

Farkas rolled his eyes. "Hey, boss," he repeated a little more loudly. He forgot he was in the comforts of a garage that doubled as his apartment and training facility.

_"Hey, Bulk, you have any updates?"_

"No, none, but I will say the Samurai rangers are doing a great job at protecting the city I am in."

_"So, the next reunion we will have Samurai?"_

"Yeah," Bulk released a chuckle, and he thought about some things. "Have you been able to check on Erica," he asked about his wife.

_"She misses you like crazy, you know."_

"And I miss her with all my heart."

_"You can home anytime. You've been gone for over a year, close to two if you think about it. No one else has had success with this, and I feel responsible we lost someone in the process,_" the dread in Tommy's voice crept.

"It wasn't your fault," Bulk relayed to Tommy. "No one would've thought that would've happened."

_"I have to say I'm sorry for even thinking about sending you guys off to random cities to search for him,"_ Tommy truthfully apologized with guilt weighing on his body. He knew this was crazy, but he didn't know what else to do.

Bulk accepted this awhile ago. "Tommy, there's nothing for you to apologize about. And tell Skull, I'll keep his son safe. We'll be fine," he assured with confidence. "I just want to repay you and Kim and everyone else for keeping the streets of Angel Grove safe. I know we were probably pain in your guys' butts all throughout high school."

_"Tell me about it,"_ Tommy quipped, but he thought of the maturity these two had acquired. He also forgot Spike had just arrived there._"You make me proud though. I'm proud to be business partners with the two of you, and to be honest, Skull's raised a decent son. Yeah, Spike has gone wayward, but with your help, I'm sure his attitude will change."_

"Thank you, Tommy," he warmly acknowledged. "I'll call if anything develops."

_"Thanks, bye, Bulk."_

"Bye," Bulk hung his phone up and looked at the time. It was rather late. They had Samurai training in the morning. He found a comfortable spot, and he fell asleep.

**Xxxxx**

**February 2011  
Farmer's Market  
Day Off  
Panorama City, CA**

Mike had been skateboarding down the main street of the city. He was having fun, enjoying the breeze, and taking a personal break from Samurai training. He was supposed to be training with his fellow rangers, but grabbing his skateboard was definitely more appealing.

The past couple of days have really been an eye opener for the Green Samurai ranger. Unlike his best friends Reece and Mathew, who were very carefree, able to wake up when they wanted to and play video games from the sun up to the sun down, his new set of friends, more like teammates as of right now, were disciplined, took the training very seriously, and he felt a little inadequate. Mia's symbol power surpassed his own, Kevin knew the ins and outs of this lifestyle, and even though Emily wasn't supposed to be the Yellow Samurai ranger, she really did know how to move her Spin Sword around. Jayden, he was another story. It was obvious to Mike no one was on his level, not even Kevin.

His mind was brought back to Emily, the petite, cute, blonde, who was so friendly. She helped to clean up the mess he made. She didn't complain at all when waking up at dawn. Not to mention, she had very nice things to say about Mia's cooking, though the others wanted to vomit in their mouths at the atrocious concoctions. In his book, she was a trooper. Mentor's rules were clear though, and he couldn't date her as of right now, but that didn't mean he couldn't get to know her more, or possibly take her on a date after the fight was over.

Whenever that was.

He weaved in between people, who were out on this glorious day. He kicked his right foot to gain more momentum. Then, he slid his skateboard down a stair rail, then flip kicked his board to continue riding down a concrete perimeter. He smiled as he nailed some astonishing tricks.

Then, in the corner of his eye, he saw his Mentor.

"Oh sh-" he yelled, as he lost his balance and crashed on the uneven pavement. He coughed at the impact.

Bystanders gasped in horror, and some even went to help the young man. They hoped he was okay.

After the 'birdies flew away', Mike was able to refocus his eyes. He kicked his body up and brightly smiled that he was alright. "Yeah, I meant to do that," he was lighthearted about the manner. He, then, began to move his feet, so he wouldn't encounter a certain person.

"Stop, right there," Mentor's voice rang, and he was once again, let down by his Green Samurai.

"Aw, man," Mike literally kicked dirt. He gulped, trying to keep the lurking dread in his stomach at bay. He took hesitant steps towards the older gentleman. He wasn't sure whether to run, or to accept he was caught.

For the fourth time, Mentor firmly crossed his arms over his chest, ignoring the heavy grocery bags in each hand. Already, Mike's made a few mistakes. He really hadn't been practicing like the others, he wasn't taking his obligation seriously, he placed his close friends in danger, and even went to fight by himself. Mike marched to the own beat of his drum, unfortunately if he wasn't careful, his team would suffer consequences.

"I-I, I," once again Mike didn't know how to get himself out of this. "Uh, I was, I, uh, I wanted to check on you," he hoped Mentor would believe that outlandish lie. When he saw Mentor wasn't budging, he gave in. "Alright, the place felt stuffy. I came here because I wanted fresh air. There's been a lot going on, and I have to admit, I'm really not used to this life."

"I'm not mad," Mentor admitted, which caused Mike to be surprised. "You're right. The place was feeling a little crowded. Not to mention, whatever Mia cooked yesterday stained my pots!"

Mike grabbed his stomach. "At least you didn't have to eat it. Kevin's had a little stomach problem, since then," he clued Ji in.

Mentor promptly agreed. The first morning Mia was supposed to cook breakfast, she actually slept in. She felt so bad, but he cut her some slack and informed he would prepare breakfast. And honestly, he was glad she was late in waking up. The first time she did cook, which was Kevin's meal, was a definite disaster. "Well, just to let you know I'm cooking from now on," he informed, which Mike almost did a happy dance for. "Listen, Master Xandred has been attacking quite frequently, and you've all been so successful. Why don't you all take the day off?"

"Really," Mike's green eyes widened at the request.

Ji nodded. "I still have to pick up a few things, and I trust this is much needed. Go ahead and tell others," he ordered.

Mike dropped his skateboard, got on it, and he immediately left with much style.

Mentor watched the Green ranger leave. He had to remind himself there did need to be a balance. Most of the time, he didn't agree with Mike. But, this was one of those rare moments, he supposed.

**Xxxxx**

**Later that Night  
Shiba House- Outdoor Practice Yard**

The battle at Rainbow's End, the local amusement park, had taken a considerable toll on the newly formed Samurai rangers. _Some day off_, most of them thought.

When Mike informed Kevin, Mia, and Emily that Ji gave them the day off from training, the girls were excited. Of course Kevin being the disciplined Samurai he was, wanted to stay and train. Eventually, everyone convinced him to go. The Yellow ranger wanted to go to the amusement park, since she had never been, much to the surprise of her teammates. They decided that was their destination for the day.

Jayden, in his training gear, came out of his quarters, and he was told about the day off, they were going to Rainbow's End. He simply nodded they have fun—without him. The Red ranger stayed behind, so he could focus all of his symbol power on a new disc. The Beetle disc was one of the few power discs still in existence. He was given this disc by Daisuke, but he never did pay much attention to the circular item, until now. The attacks from Master Xandred were slowly increasing to harder ones, and with this, they'd have more power to defeat the Nighlocks.

There was a sudden attack at the amusement park. A Nighlock, by the name of Dreadhead, arrived to bring terror to the attendees. Protecting the citizens, the Blue, Pink, Yellow, and Green ranger morphed to combat the evil. Unfortunately, nothing they did seemed to phase the monster. Dreadhead taunted, beat, shot at the rangers. He was almost successful in destroying them, but Jayden arrived. He, too, had his own difficulty, but when all of the rangers gathered their symbol power, they weakened the Nighlock for a little. The monster recovered, hellbent on destroying them once and for all. And it was about to happen, if he wasn't beginning to dry out.

Back home, the rangers spoke of the battle. Nothing they did was causing the Nighlock to back down. If anything, Dreadhead reveled in their attacks. They weren't sure what their next move was. Suddenly, Emily questioned Jayden's bruise on his face. He hadn't been fighting the evil for long. That's when he revealed the Beetle disc. Secretly, he had been working on it. Mike became angry; his leader wasn't able to use the new power. Mia watched helplessly, while Kevin came to Jayden's defense.

Mentor silenced them all; they should eat dinner and head to bed. Rest was much needed by this setback.

Jayden was hesitant in the battle earlier, he admitted.

"My team... the whole world is depending on me..." he grunted as he was beginning to stand. He needed to reclaim his Fire Smasher. "I can do this; I must do _this_," he struggled to say between gritted teeth. For the past two hours, he'd been working on doubling his symbol power, so the Beetle would come to life. The burns on his hands were foretelling he's been failing horribly.

Again, he concentrated on increasing the fire.

Ji watched, hopeful and confident, Jayden was going to be successful. His young pupil wouldn't dare give up on this. He watched, the flames amassing around the Fire Smasher, but Ji couldn't stomach the torture Jayden was putting himself thorugh. He escaped back to the house. Jayden would have to learn this on his own.

"Arhhh," Jayden screamed at the top of his lungs. He could feel his veins protruding from his neck at the strength of this go around. Sweat framed his face, he ignored the blood seeping from his knuckles. He was going to make this happen. Once more, he powerfully swung his weapon.

Finally, the disc came to life.

Jayden collapsed on his knees. His Fire Smasher fell to the ground. His eyes were rolling back and forth, his breaths were accelerated, but he was successful. This literally took all his energy though. Ultimately, his eyes went to the back of his head, his chest forcefully came in contact with the pebbled ground, and at the side of his mouth, bubbles formed.

"Ehhh," breathlessly released from his mouth.

His body became cloaked in Red.

**(Jayden's State of Mind)**

_The dove frantically cawed. The poor thing had been traveling for what seemed like forever. The familial animal hadn't been seen in such a long time. The dove was so worried, as the objective of this search hadn't been sought._

_Suddenly, in the distance, there it was—the Red Lion. Cloaked in a deep, crimson red like blood, asleep on the ground. _

_There was the King of the Jungle!_

_The dove literally dove down and eagerly pecked at the unconscious Red Lion. No movement was produced. The dove cried and desperately wanted the Red Lion to come to life once more, so they could play. The paws, they were injured, like it was in battle with another lion. Again, the bird tried to wake the other up. _

_There was no movement._

_The dove flew on the Lion's nose, fluttered its wings, trying once more to make the Lion come alive, but to no avail. The dove cried, hurt by this development. _

"_Jayden..." the Dove finally spoke, and the pitch was so delicate and soothing it sounded like an Angel. _

"_Jayden..." the bird repeated. "Jayden..."_

"_JAYDEN!"_

**(End of Jayden's State of Mind)**

**Xxxxx**

**10 Minutes Later  
Oliver Residence-Sophia's Room  
Reefside, CA**

Sophia, with shallow breaths, rose out of bed. Her rounded, doe eyes scanned her room. Nothing was out of the ordinary, at least, not in reality. She delicately climbed out of bed, and she walked to the bathroom. She splashed her face with water. After she was done with her bathroom activity, she looked down the hall and checked on her baby brother, Tristan, who was about two and a half. He was sound a sleep. She furrowed her brows, and she slightly opened the door to her parent's room. They, too, were in a deep siesta.

She went downstairs and made sure not to make a peep. She immediately went to the kitchen, and she took out the milk. She poured a glassful, placed the cup in the microwave to warm it up slightly, and she began to drink in silence.

Tommy groggily came the down the steps. He was still half asleep, but he heard his daughter's movements; he was almost positive it was her shuffling around. "Morning," he yawned.

"Oh shi-, dad," Sophia almost dropped her glass. "You scared me!"

"Shh, Tristan is still sleeping," he spuriously moved his hands around to tell her to be quiet. Their newest son still had an issue sleeping through the night. "What are you doing awake?"

"I awoke, from, uh, a dream."

"The same one you've been having," he earnestly asked, as he went to prepare a cup of coffee. It was close to four in the morning. He didn't see the point in going to bed when he had work in a just a couple of hours.

Sophia nodded. "The Dove, the Red Lion, what does it all mean," she questioned.

At this point, Sophia was about 12 years old. Her dreams began when she was little. She never spoke of them, until recently. She explained to her parents about the recurring stars: a dove and a lion, and how they would interact so playfully. It was quite mind boggling to her, but lately, she was enjoying them. For the most part, they were actually tame, unlike the beginning and this most recent one.

Tommy and Kim searched the ranger archives. They insisted their daughter tapped into Ninjetti powers. It was bound to happen, but the Red Lion stumped the parents. Kim confronted Leo Corbett of the Lost Galaxy rangers. She asked if he was connecting with her daughter at night. He was denied that was happening. Of course, he wasn't connecting with Sophia in that way. Tommy asked Cole, who wielded the Red Lion zord while in the Wild Force era, if he was having these dreams too. He adamantly said 'no' plus he was a little frightened if Tommy thought he was having some pedophiliac urges or something.

"We've tried looking for something, Sophia," Tommy honestly replied. When he had his own dreams, he went to the reservation. He wouldn't let her do something of that caliber. She was far too young to do her own journey. "Did anything new happen," he opened a container of cinnamon rolls and began to heat some up.

Sophia sat at the table. "The lion, it was hurt... it looked like it was dead," she described with such hurt in her voice. She looked at her dad, who came to sit across from her. "No matter what the dove did, the lion just didn't want to budge," her eyes hinted to a the painful scene that flashed back.

Tommy comforted his daughter. "Honey, these dreams did go away for a little bit." He was about to cut into the ooey, gooey, cinnamon roll, but he looked at her seriously. "What happened to the lion?"

"Jayden," was all she responded with in a zombie like state. "Jayden... Jayden."

"What?!" Tommy couldn't believe his daughter's answer. He acted as if he had seen a ghost. His daughter hit very, very close to his heart. Had she found out? Did she know where he was? "Jayden," he repeated, utterly surprised by the name that exited her mouth.

"Does that name mean something to you," she queried earnestly. She glanced at her strong dad, who appeared weak in the knees all of a sudden.

She knew both of her parents were Power Rangers. Actually, she knew the adults closest to her were, except for a handful.

As far as her dad was concerned, it would be hard not to notice. Her dad built this technological base underground, which would often occupy his time. In addition, Auntie Kira, Uncle Conner, Eathan, and eventually Trent, would be at her house for long hours. Obviously, they weren't exactly studying with their science teacher. And, he was encased in amber for a long period of time. He actually missed an important gymnastics meet of hers because of that particular situation. Once he was free and won the battle with his former selves, he took her to Disneyland and got her anything she asked for. That was her dad: protector, provider, teacher, and, well, she adored her dad with all her heart plus more.

So, to see him look like this, she knew something was up.

Tommy and Kim hadn't revealed the truth. Yet, they knew they had to explain some time. That's why they always sent her to Kim's mom and step-dad or Tommy's adopted parents when they were on the hunt for him. Both wanted to wait until _he_ was by their side. Looked like that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

"Dad," Sophia cautiously asked, trying to release him from his trance like stupor. "That name. It must mean something to you," she fished for some information.

He figured now was the best time. His wife would understand.

"Soph, let's start at the beginning..." he finally had to tell her the truth.

* * *

**Special Thanks to: RaptorZeroOne- **Thank you for reminding me that Leo Corbett from Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy also had a Red Lion Zord


	11. Chapter 11- The Clues

**A/N:** Please continue to read this story; I hope you are all enjoying the contents so far.

**A/N:** Remember, a lot of the Power Ranger Samurai episodes are AU.

This chapter covers:** A Fish out of Water & There Go the Brides  
**

**Xxxxx**

**Chapter 11- The Clues**

**March 2011  
A Fish Out of Water  
Lumintor Beach  
****Panorama City, CA**

The Escalade crept to a stop.

Kevin arrived at his destination. He was assigned the duty to bring the Swordfish zord back to the Samurai rangers. Not too long ago, the fish was spotted. Jayden believed Kevin was the one to haul the sucker in. He closely held the Samurai lifestyle to his heart, and he also had the power of water on his side. He was the best man for the job.

Everyone else went to fight the most recent Nighlock—Yamiror.

He quickly exited the Samurai vehicle, and he jumped rocks to arrive at the tallest point. He scanned the area, and he thought back to his dad.

For generations, Kevin's family served along the Shiba Family. From his earliest memories, the Blue ranger remembered drawing his first symbol—water. His father couldn't have been prouder at that moment. Ike's son led a dual life. Not only was he heavily involved with harvesting the power of water and being a container for the Dragon, but he was also an avid swimmer. He was the youngest in his high school to be on varsity. Olympic coaches and college coaches wanted to scout Kevin. Yet, the Blue ranger ignored all of that. The possible glory of attaining a gold medal was the farthest from his mind.

"This is what all the hard work for all those years have been for," he pointedly spoke. He was going to accomplish this. "I _won't_ go back without the Swordfish zord!" He drew the symbol for 'fishing pole', and he was ready now.

The sight of the grand zord caused his mouth to drop. He gasped at the gigantic Swordfish. He slung his fishing pole as far as he could, and then he hovered it forward. He spun the blank disc. The sun's rays were heavily beating down on him, sweat broke his back's skin, and he became lethargic. All of his energy was being consumed by this activity. He must've flung that thing over ten times. He began to get dizzy from the last round. If he was asked, the world spun around him, though to others he was the one spinning. His eyes went this way, that way, and he ultimately fell to the ground.

"Oh man," a bystander witnessed what happened. He immediately went and scooped Kevin up. He took him back to his family.

**Xxxxx**

**One Hour Later  
Lumintor Beach**

"Ohhh," Kevin groaned, as he came to. He tried to refocus his hazel eyes; it was a hard task. Soothing music was heard. Directly above him was a baby's mobile. He watched the lion, giraffe, and tiger go round and round. He felt sudden movement as well. He shrieked at the toddler that was sleeping next to him. The little girl didn't look but about two years old, and she was comfortably resting on her stomach. He snatched the rag that was on his forehead off. He was frightened by this. "What, what happened," he curiously gazed at everything.

"Babe, he's awake," a woman with long, blonde hair, dressed in a baby blue water suit, informed her husband.

"Nice of you to join us," a raspy voice commented, and he gave a plate of food to Kevin. "You need your strength."

Kevin's stomach grumbled. Just before he came here, he barely got to finish his meal. He couldn't even precisely measure the ingredients from his breakfast due to Mia. . He drooled over what the other guy cooked: a hamburger, hot dog, corn on the cob, and he even nicely added a bag of chips."I'm, wait, I'm fine," he indecisively pushed the food away. Kevin was confused by the people in front of him.

The other man with dark hair, Asian like features was slightly taken aback."I think after the fall you took, you should," once more, he offered to the food to Kevin.

Though wary, he was rather ravenous. He ended up anxiously grabbing the plate, and his rolled to the back of his head. The juicy burger was delicious! "Oh, man, this is so good," he couldn't believe it. "Who are you guys anyways," he muffled.

"Mom, dad," a boy, who looked to be about the age of six, ran up to the people. He seemed pretty cozy with them, in Kevin's opinion. "Look, I caught a fish," he pointed to his bucket. Inside was a little cod. He was so proud, since he did this on his own.

"Way to go, baby," the female commented with a smile. "You did great!"

"Thanks," the little boy accepted, and then he looked at Kevin inquisitively. "You like blue, just like my parents."

"Uh, what," the Blue Samurai was taken aback by the little boy's observation. The tot, then, pointed to his clothes. "Oh, yes, I like blue just like, your, parents," he noted, as he looked at the various hues of blues in this elaborate, makeshift tent. "Thank you, for your kindness, but I have to go. I have to catch a fish," he scarfed down the rest of his meal, and then he began to stand. He stood too quickly, since he was all of a sudden feeling like he had to vomit.

"I don't think so," the woman ordered because of Kevin's uneasy movements. She sincerely looked into his eyes. "I think you should rest. Just like my husband said, you did really take a big fall."

"I did," Kevin couldn't believe he had overworked himself like that. "Oh, well..."

"We don't bite," the other guy lightly quipped. "We aren't trying to take your money or anything like that. Take a breather, and then finish whatever you were doing." He figured he should introduce himself. "I'm Blake Bradley. This is my wife Tori, our young son, BJ, and, sorry," he softly laughed, "we didn't mean to make things awkward, but that's our daughter, Dawn." He held out his hand.

The Blue ranger accepted his hand into his. He looked at the couple. He found it kind of funny she was slightly taller, but they looked very much in love. His phone went off without a hitch.

Blake and Tori tossed each other knowing looks.

Kevin answered his phone, as he walked away. He wanted this to be private. "Hello," was his soft reply. He took a cup of juice that was offered by Tori. He nodded in thanks and gulped down the drink.

"Seemed like he was very hungry," Tori noted in a sing song way. She went to check on her daughter.

"_Kevin, the rangers have been poisoned_," Ji informed._ "They have inhaled the Nighlock's stench. Their fevers are next to impossible to recover from_."

"I'll be right there," Kevin stressed, since he knew the monster was still on his loose, and his friends were bed ridden at this point. The citizens had to be protected.

"_No, the archives say they can only be saved by a purifying power. I believe the oceanic powers of the Swordfish zord can do it. Kevin, you must capture the Swordfish and bring it back fast! I fear it may be our only hope."_

"I'm on it," Kevin confidently said, and he gave all the empty cup back to Tori. He placed his phone securely in this pocket.

She was surprised by the motion. "Do you need to go now," she wondered.

Kevin nodded. "Thank you for everything, but I really gotta catch a Swordfish," he said, and he grabbed his blue fishing pole and immediately rushed back to the spot.

Tori, former Blue Wind Ninja ranger, glanced at her husband. Her blue eyes met Blake's communicative brown eyes. She nodded. "I'll keep watch after the kids and the food. No need to worry," she kissed her husband square on the lips. "Be safe."

"You got it, babe," Blake went to follow the teen he saved about an hour ago. He was concerned for his well being.

Husband and wife brought their kids to this scenic beach, which also known for the ripping waves. It's not like the ones in Blue Bay Harbor were bad; this place was special to them. They actually had their nuptials here. Also, their son loved to go fishing, and his mom was just beginning to teach him how to surf. Something his mom loved to do. As far as Dawn was concerned, she didn't like the beach too much. The parents often found it comical she would snooze most of the time she was near water. However, if she was near a BMX bike, which was her dad's favorite toy, then she was wide awake, often walking to the electric bicycle and trying to climb it.

Blake, former Navy Thunder ranger, ally to the Ninja Storm rangers, thought this had to be his family's most eventful visit yet. He had forgotten something in their vehicle. While he was walking back, that's when he saw Kevin's unconscious body.

He continued walking, and there he saw Kevin with the pole that would catch fish. Again, the taller man in blue was wearing himself out. He watched as Kevin touched a circle on the side of his pole. Blue colored sparks were emitted, and he gasped and went to catch Kevin who was about to fall over once more.

"Hey, hey, take it easy. You might be a little more comfortable if you took that jacket off," Blake seemed to have all the jokes today. He was glad to have a water bottle for this guy. He handed it over. Kevin graciously and anxiously drank the H20. Blake sighed. "Is it worth it?"

"W-what," Kevin asked, gulping down the refreshing beverage. He rose his head to look at the older man.

"What you're searching or trying to catch."

"Yes, it's worth it. It's very important, but I don't have enough," the Blue Samurai ranger stopped right there. The other man really wanted to finish the sentence for him. Instead, he listened. "It's just; I need to find this Swordfish. Actually, I need to recapture it once more."

And Blake nodded, understanding his task. He grabbed the fallen pole, and he released it back to Kevin. "Just concentrate, put all your _power_ into it, and it will happen," he encouraged. He stood right behind his fellow blue.

Kevin's eyes explored the crashing, cerulean waters. He took a big, deep, calming breath. Once again, he extended his pole back, and then he released the pole forward. He spun the disc to add more power. The heaping bite from the Swordfish caused him to almost lose his grip. "NO," he shouted, and he reclaimed the firm hold once more. He struggled, his feet almost losing its position.

Tori's husband placed a reassuring hand on Kevin's right shoulder. Both braced for what was to come next.

Ike's son couldn't fail his mission. Jayden and the rest of his team was counting on him. He was determined to bring the purifying waters to his friends. "I can do this," he struggled to pull the zord out of the water. Once more, he spun the blank disc.

Blake watched in amazement as this giant Swordfish literally dove into the disc that was on taller man's fishing pole. The white disc transformed to blue so suddenly. He replayed back what just happened in his head, all the while, he heard laughs. He had to recollect his thoughts before he could say something. "What, in the hell, was that?!"

Kevin just smiled. "Thank you. You really helped me to get out of this jam," he acknowledged, as he helped Blake stand to his feet. "I appreciate you and your wife. I need to leave and get back to my t-"

"Your friends," Blake supplemented with a smile, and he watched the other man leave in a huff. "Good luck, ranger," he wished under his breath. He unlocked his phone and made a phone call. "You will not believe what just happened..." he began, while he walked back to his wife.

**Xxxxx**

**Later That Day  
Lumintor Beach  
**

Mia, Mike, Kevin and Emily were playfully kicking water at each other. They giggled like little kids. They enjoyed feeling the calming waters at their feet. After the day they had, they earned it. They continued in their relvery.

Jayden's hands were stuck in his pants' pockets. He took a long, leisure walk on the beach by himself. The cooling breeze was a wonderful sensation against his body. Earlier in the day, his body literally felt like it was on fire. Like, he had been on the sun for an hour. That's a feeling he never wanted to encounter again. He scanned the sanded, rocky area. He usually avoided this place. His father and him would come here, and he would watch his dad, who found the beach to be a place of solace, engage in a kata. He smiled at the little memories he still held.

In the distance, he saw a pigeon. He remembered pigeons and doves were one in the same. The last dream—it burned in his mind.

"The dove actually spoke," he said to himself. Usually, the dreams played like a silent movie. Movements were predominant, and they truly said a 1,000 words on their own. The dove's voice would burn in his mind forever. He continued on his way, and he watched his teammates. They were having entirely too much fun.

Kevin's words, from just a few minutes ago, stuck with him. _Unless, you truly believe in_ _yourself too... _That was something Jayden could attest to. He believed in himself, and that was how the Beetle was seemingly activated, and how Kevin was able to capture the Swordfish.

His team came out of the water. All were soaking wet.

"I really wish you guys could've met Blake," Kevin spoke of his chance meeting from earlier. "He really helped a lot."

"You didn't..." Emily, while looking up at Kevin with a slightly cocked eyebrow, wondered, knowing that was a cardinal rule.

"No, I didn't. Trust me," Kevin answered pointedly, since he wouldn't dare break anything Ji laid out. "I know we aren't supposed to reveal our identities to others." He thought about earlier. "But man, he made a very killer burger!"

"That's sounds great. I'll make us burgers tomorrow! What do you guys think," Mia cluelessly asked her teammates, who were turning into friends.

Jayden shook his head. "I'm a vegetarian," he nervously replied and immediately headed back to the car.

Kevin practically vomited. "Uh, uh, why don't we get going," he relayed, hoping his disgust wasn't showing.

"Yeah, prepare for the next battle," Emily piped up, as she thought of the PB & J omelet Mia cooked earlier. She, too, almost threw up in her mouth.

Mia curiously watched all of them leave in a such a hurry. "They didn't move that quickly when we fought the monster earlier," she thought out loud. She faced Mike, the sole person. "Burgers?"

Mike was about to answer, but he stopped himself. He thought about a nicer way to say she sucked at cooking, but there wasn't a nice way. He chuckled at her. "Uh, why don't we head back with them," he quickly changed the subject.

"Right, back to the Shiba House," the Pink ranger furrowed her brows. She left with everyone else.

**Xxxxx**

**Later that Night  
Panorama City Forest  
Outskirts of Panorama City, CA**

"So, the Samurai rangers have returned, but so have I," a deep, manly voice informed rather evilly. His feet cracked the branches that were spread throughout the ground.

Then, quickly, the pain commenced. He grabbed his head, trying to control the splitting headache that streamed throughout his anatomy. He dropped to fetal position. The excruciating feeling was too much for him to bare. He wanted this to stop. Lightning was erupting from his body. He was literally being ripped into two.

**_This form, that form._**

**_Good versus evil._**

He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, but nothing was coming out. The only thing he managed was a gurgling groan. He wanted to break free. This had been going on for awhile now. The futile attempt deemed useless. The hold was at its strongest now.

_"Stop, fighting this!"_

**Xxxxx**

**A Week Later  
There Goes the Brides  
Unknown Location**

"But it's my wedding day," the kidnapped bride depressingly cried, and she grimaced at the dirty touch of Dayu's finger underneath her chin. She had to regather her strength though; she wasn't usually this emotional. The intense hate she fell for the woman in front of her caused her to glare. Her hardened stare, against the blue and red colored monster with feminine features, continued.

"Oh, you think you're so tough," Dayu mercilessly taunted. She made the bride stand to her feet. She wanted to smack that look off the woman's face.

The bride wasn't going to back down. Though two Moogers were at each arm, holding her at bay, she had to do something. She struggled against them. Their grip continued. Finally, She swiftly did a backflip, drawing the foot soldiers to collide with one another. Her heated stare came up to Dayu once more, as she took a fighting stance. "I don't think,_ I am_," the bride countered confidently. "I'm sick and tired of monsters like you-"

"Uh, uh, uh," Dayu slithered, while unveiling her short, sharp dagger from her harmonium. "You're not an ordinary bride, are you?" In a nano second, her blade went against the bride's throat. The woman gasped at the virginal feeling against her smooth skin. The monster pierced the bride's neck, desperately wanting to draw just a drop of blood.

Two more Moogers came from out the blue, and they each grabbed the arm of the rogue bride. They twisted her arms firmly, so she couldn't pull another stunt like that.

"Put her in there," the hench woman ordered forcefully. "Try breaking out! I dare you!" Dayu, Master Xandred's right hand woman, crossed over to the human world. Her form allowed her to. She was a half Nighlock, half human. She was able to survive on either side. As much as her outer form should've sequestered her in the Netherworld. Not lately, she wanted to reclaim what was left her humanity., or sanity. She longingly ogled at the dress, with intricate details, that was being produced by the tears of brides.

With a snap of her fingers, the Moogers obeyed, and they left.

Inside the wedding cake that was made from hell, the newest bride examined the others. Their tears, there so much. She couldn't stomach this. It was just awful to see them so sad. All were in wedding dresses too. As much as she wanted to help, but she couldn't She was in the same predicament. She curiously looked around, trying to figure a way out. There didn't seem to be an exit in sight. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Damn it," the rogue bride cursed, and she too, fell to the ground and wept. "All I wanted to do was become Mrs. Ronny Robinson-Thurston!"

**Xxxxx**

**One Hour Later  
****Shiba House-Kitchen**

_She_ looked... beautiful.

Jayden remembered when she glided down the aisle. She, too, could act like a kagemusha. She did her job gracefully and in a very believing way. The natural look of her makeup, her usually straight hair, curled and cascaded in a side ponytail, and the form fitting dress caressed the curves of her tan body. _Her looks were lethal_, he privately thought once more.

The plan for Jayden and Mia to look like they were on top of wedding cake came from Mike. Brides were being taken on their wedding day. A day most women had been waiting all their lives for. The tears of the brides were causing the Sanzu River to rise at a dangerous level. If two, maybe three, more soon to be wives were captured, that woud cause the occupants of the demon river to wash into this world. The rangers couldn't let that happen. So, Mike thought it was best to stage a wedding. Mia was the first to immediately volunteer to be the bride. Her smile was bright, her hope undeniable; she already spoke of wanting to find her Prince Charming. The rangers agreed she could play the bride. As far as the groom went, Kevin was about to raise his hand, but Jayden quickly interjected. He wanted to be at the pulpit—much to everyone's surprise.

Quietly sipping his warmed green tea, the Red ranger mentally kicked himself. He wasn't supposed to think of her in that light, that particular way. He wouldn't even know what to call how he was feeling towards her.

Emily hummed melodically, as she entered the kitchen. "Oh, Jayden," she greeted, once she realized he was in this room. She wondered what he was up to. It looked like he was drinking something. "Is there anymore left?"

He nodded and pointed to the pot.

"Thanks," she smiled. She poured herself a cup, and she turned to the Red ranger again. She held him in such high regard. He was strong, and she was willing to protect him, as he was willing to protect her. At least, she hoped he would let her protect him. During some of their fights he was like this lone ranger, and he didn't want their help. She shrugged it off. That's probably how all Red rangers were. "So, do you think this second plan will work," she interrupted the silence.

"Yeah, with one wedding, the Nighlock will definitely show up. I'm sure Mia and I can slip in once more," he replied shortly, placing his cup down.

"Right," the Yellow ranger agreed. She was about to walk away, but she couldn't help herself. "Why did you react so quickly when Mia wanted to be the bride?"

He was surprised by her query. "Um, I just, it, um, uh," he was obviously stuttering. He was hesitant to reveal the truth. "I-I-"

Emily's mouth cracked into a grin. "You like her," she almost screamed the revelation.

"Shh," Jayden, with caution, looked around the place, hoping no one heard.

"Sorry," she excitedly apologized. She went to sit across from him. "Do you like her?"

"I think I do," he answered somewhat awkwardly.

She quirked her eyebrow. "You think," she repeated like a question. "Oh my goodness," recognition dawned on her face. Her hand flew immediately to her mouth. "You've never had a girlfriend."

Jayden was about 17; his 17th birthday was less than seven months away, and she was right: he's never had a girlfriend. To be honest, he's never been around _them._ Most adolescent boys meet their first crush in school or on a playground or somewhere random. He's never been to school. His mom taught him the basics like the alphabet, numbers, adding and subtracting. As far as advancing scholastically, Ji and tutors helped in the privacy of his home. He hardly went to the movies or an arcade. He life was consumed with training. He wouldn't dare admit to the team he'd never been to Rainbow's End. Those reasons alone explained why he's never had a girlfriend. It would be hard to find or meet one. He's lived quite a sheltered life.

"So what if haven't," he hastily replied, sounding rather harsh. Emily appeared frightened by his tone. "I''m sorry," he quickly apologized. "It shouldn't have came out like that... are you saying you've had a boyfriend before?"

"Yeah, when I was 13. His name was Ryan Crabtree," she spoke of her first and only boyfriend. "He asked me to the eighth grade dance, and we dated throughout the summer. We often hung out at the park, went to the movies, or he came to the ranch, or I went to his house," she explained in a happy tone. The twinkle in her green eyes soon diminished though, and she became serious. "At the end of summer, he found out he had to move away. We ended things, and I haven't had a boyfriend since."

Jayden was speechless.

She smiled that everything was okay. "I'm pretty sure everyone else has had their own heartbreak," she spoke of the others. "Except you."

"Well, it's not like I would want that," he figured. He picked his cup up.

"So, if Mia liked you, would that make her your first girlfriend?"

The cup was mere centimeters from his face. Again, he placed the red item down."You know the rules of the house."

"Haven't you heard the saying 'rules are meant to be broken'?"

"Emily," he was shocked by her bold demeanor. "Mia's beautiful, and she's nice, sweet, caring, and she can handle herself in battle," he spoke of the Pink ranger with admiration. "But it wouldn't work."

She sort of let it go. "So, you think she's beautiful, huh?" He simply nodded, so he can get her off his back. She continued to drink the tea. Her eyes displayed much satisfaction.

Kevin rushed into the kitchen. "I have a great idea for tomorrow," he announced with pride. "Mia shouldn't be the only bride."

"What?!" The Yellow and Red ranger chorused.

"Two Samurai ranger brides are twice as nice," the Blue ranger readily explained the plan he thought of.

**Xxxxx**

**The Next Day  
High Point Temple**

Ronny, the brave bride from the day before, came to, as she heard another bride being tossed to where she was. She managed to find a comfortable position and catch some sleep. She listened intently, as this bride had a telephone. She hoped she could borrow, call her fiance, and assure she was fine.

"Jayden, we found the brides," the Yellow ranger informed via her Samuraizer.

"_Good job, Emily,"_ he replied, and then he thought about the other 'bride'._ "How's Mia, doing?"_

"Really?!"

"_It's just a question."_

"She's fine. Dayu hasn't touched a hair on her," she internally smiled.

"_We're on our way,"_ he ended the phone call.

Emily was relieved. Kevin's back up plan actually worked. He proposed that Emily become a bride as well. The Moogers would probably search for any and _all_ brides, and her being an impostor produced great results.

"Did, did, you say Jayden," Ronny asked.

"Huh, what," the Yellow ranger was shocked by the inquiry. She did a once over of the dirty haired blonde. The actual bride to be looked a mess. Her hair was everywhere, her makeup was smeared, and she held her tattered veil in her hands so depressingly. "Help is on the way," she comforted.

"I heard you," the past Yellow Operation Overdrive ranger remained persistent. "You said Jayden."

"I-I-I..." she didn't want her cover blown.

Ronny was about to say something, but she heard the various noises from outside the cake. She watched the new bride take out a weapon—a rather large sword. She gasped. She knew, who she was.

"I think it's your turn to cry. I'm not the only Samurai ranger that's been kidnapped today," was heard outside of this monstrous, makeshift cake.

"Ha, ha, ha," Emily slashed the cake into pieces, and she revealed herself to everyone. She confidently stood and relayed a message. "Two Samurai ranger brides are twice as nice, don't you think?"

"Well, if all I needed was my Drive Claws," Ronny rolled her eyes. Suddenly, she was bum rushed by the rest of the brides clamoring to get out of there. A guy in blue and a guy in green helped to escort her and everyone else out. Though, she really wanted to get a good look at the team. Then, they, the guys who helped, ended up closing the door and staying with that freak of a monster. She ran with the rest of them. Her fiance was deathly worried about her, and she wanted to be with him, family, and friends. She wondered whether or not to bring this up to her maid of honor.

**Xxxxx**

**Later that Day  
Sherry's Cake Shop  
Panorama City, CA**

"Oh, I don't know what to choose," Emily's eyes brightened at all the wonderful goodies in the bakery. She smelled the fresh cakes, cupcakes, tarts, cannolis, and donuts. She couldn't contain her excitement.

Kevin smelled the delectable desserts. His tummy grumbled, signaling it was in need of this. That's all he did though, was smell. By inhaling the heavenly scent, he already felt his hips get wider, his belt buckle go up a notch, and his cheeks tingle at all the sweetness. He was tempted alright. His eyes dictated so.

Mike had already bought four giant cupcakes: white chocolate raspberry, double chocolate chunk, salted caramel vanilla, and a cookies and cream one. He sat at the table, ready to dig in. He looked over at the controlled the Blue ranger. The subtle glances from Kevin showed he wanted a bite.

"You want one," the Green ranger asked, while making a cupcake dance mercilessly in front of Kevin's nose. He smirked. He cut into the double chocolate chunk cupcake, and he over dramatized the goodness by taking a slow bite. "Oh..." he released a breathy indulgent grunt. "That's soooo good."

The Yellow ranger had already ordered, and she went to sit with the guys. "Kevin, aren't you going to get something," she questioned, as she placed a napkin daintily on her lap. She was confused. "Why would you come to a bakery if you didn't want to eat this?"

The wielder for the Dragon Zord shook his head, though the rest of his body depicted a different story. "A Samurai never breaks from his training," he weakly echoed his words from just last week.

"Alright," Mike and Emily said in unison, and they kept devouring their meal.

At the register, Jayden still browsed the counters. He wasn't sure what to order either. He saw Mia already at the register. He slid over to where she was. "I'll pay for that," he generously offered with a smile.

She was shocked. "Are you sure, Jayden," she didn't want to impose.

"I'm positive," he replied, as he took money out. "You deserve it."

"Jay," she affectionately called him, "I-I don't know what to say."

"Just say thank you."

She smiled. "Thank you," she honestly acknowledged.

"What a cute couple," the cashier complimented. She rang them up, and she gave the Red ranger his change. She waited for the next customer.

"But, we're not, I mean, we aren't," Mia felt Jayden's hand lightly grip her arm, and he escorted her to the rest of the team. "Jayden, don't you think we need to correct her?"

"There wasn't any time to."

"But Jay," she was the only one to call him that, read his eyes and understood. She sat next to Emily, who was next to Mike, then Kevin, and Jayden rounded off the table. "Kevin, you aren't going to eat?"

"Jayden doesn't have anything," he was quick to point out. "Look."

"I was going to go back, you know," the leader noted, "but, I just wanted to make sure everyone was okay."

"Jayden, we're fine," Emily didn't understand where the sudden protectiveness came from. "Are you still thinking about that thing that was with Dayu?"

"I don't think this is the place to discuss that," Jayden figured, while his mind traveled back in time.

**(Flashback)**

"_Red ranger, you shall be my sword Urumasa's greatest challenge," the sudden newcomer robustly announced, while shielding Dayu. _

"_Deker, you came to save me," the kidnapper of brides asked hopefully._

"_Not quite," came his cold reply._

"_What?!"_

"_Red ranger, we will duel soon. Until then..." the Nighlock, at least that's what the rangers thought, grabbed Dayu's wrist and stealthily got the two out of the rock quarry. He summoned giant Moogers to attack them._

_The rangers were shocked, most of all Jayden. Behind his helmet, there were questions running rampant. One was predominant._

_Who was that?_

**(End Flashback)**

He shook his head as a form of release.

Earlier, the rangers formed the 5-Disc Beetle cannon. The heavy artillery with immense power was pointed directly at their enemy. She was about to be destroyed, but then he, or it, they weren't sure what to call the newcomer, came out of nowhere. With his unique sword, he destroyed the shot, much to their surprise. His chilling words to Jayden could cause anyone to form goosebumps on their skin.

Jayden undressed from the penguin suit, and he dazedly walked to this bakery with his team. He mingled with them for parts of the way, but his mind would always float back to what was said. What did that thing want with him? Why was it wanting to protect Dayu so much? Until they crossed paths, he supposed he would never know.

"He's right," Kevin interjected, as he wiped the drool from his mouth.

"Kevin, just go get you one," the Green ranger grabbed the taller fellow by the shoulder, and he ushered him to the bakery counter. "Doesn't that look good? Eh, eh, eh..." he was the devil in the Blue's ear. "Eat, eat, eat," he cheekily chanted.

The hesitancy was melting away. "I'll have this one, this one, this one, and oh, yeah, this one," Kevin finally broke character. He couldn't wait for the luscious, circular item with globs of icing to enter his stomach. "Oh, yeah, come to daddy."

The girls and Jayden laughed at them. Once they were finished here, they would return to the Shiba House. In the morning, they would prepare for what the residents of the Sanzu River were ready to launch at them.

However, they surely wouldn't be prepared for what was to come next.


	12. Chapter 12- The Evil

**Episode:** I've Got a Spell on Blue

**Xxxxx**

**Chapter 12- The Evil**

**A Few Days Later  
I've Got a Spell on Blue  
Panorama City Forest  
Outskirts of Panorama City**

The rangers were called into their next battle. Madimot, a mind controlling Nighlock, was in the forest wreaking havoc, and they were going to put a stake in his ways. However, especially for Jayden, they weren't braced for what this Nighlock had in stored.

"Here, kitty, kitty..." Madimot flung his whip down to the ground.

The ground began to rumble to the point the rangers almost lost their footing.

"What the-" Kevin began, as he was about to witness a blast from the past.

A white zord with golden stripes broke through the hardened soil, roaring it had arrived.

"The Tigerzord," Jayden finished for his fellow ranger. He broke away from the uniform line and stared at the white zord with awe. "That-that was my dad's," he murmured under his breath. His heart clenched.

"Surprised," he taunted, "When the Earth cracked open,and you sealed Master Xandred in the Netherworld, your Tigerzord fell in the crevice too. I saved it and made him my pet kitty. Or should I say pet Tiggy!" Madimot's words caused the nostalgia in Jayden to become a nightmare. The Nighlock ignored the exclamations of the rangers. "My spell on him is too powerful! He's mine."

The Nighlock gathered evil essence from the Sanzu River, which consumed his face. The royal blue energy kept accumulating. The rangers began to shield their bodies. They didn't know what was to come if the monster's power hit them. The Green ranger was clueless. He stood there, only his head going around in spurts of erratic movement. His teammates were already low on the ground, shouting for him to duck, take cover. Jayden sprung into action, pushing the Green ranger out the way.

The beam of power was catapulted.

The Red ranger was unprotected.

"Ahhhh," Jayden screamed at the impact. He scrunched his eyes at the pain that washed over him. It was an enterprising combination of being burned and electrocuted. "Uhhhh!" The hold was amassing even further. Inside his helmet, his eyes reopened so quickly. Gone was the hard, yet caring sapphires, and in came this menacing tint of green circa 1993. After he was consumed with evil, he collapsed to the ground. The dirt flew away from under him. He still held his head, trying to stop the unyielding throbs of physical and mental suffering. He roared again; birds flew away at the deafening echoes.

This felt unnatural, yet natural like it was in his lineage.

"Jayden," the others shouted frantically.

Kevin army crawled to Jayden. He grabbed his leader by the shoulders. "Jayden," he called, wanting to make sure he was okay.

"Get off of me," the Red ranger menacingly barked. He angrily shrugged the Blue ranger's hands off of him as if they were acid. He sucker punched him.

Kevin's vision blurred, head titled back pretty far, but that still didn't stop him from trying to help in some way.

Red was a lost cause. He made that clear by the misery he was about to inflict. He grabbed the weakened ranger by the neck and was able to stand strongly on two feet. He, then, faced his team, or so they were supposed to be called that. He inaudibly commanded they watched this. A smirk was on his face, and he flung the Blue ranger's body so easily like it was a rag doll.

The Blue ranger's body flew back ten feet. Jayden proudly watched the horrific effect. The Blue ranger's stomach collided with the ground, and the wind was ultimately knocked out of him. "Ehhh," he exhaled at the point of impact. Green, Yellow, and Pink ran to his side, and they began to protect him against what Jayden had become.

The Red ranger almost wanted to exclaim 'touchdown'! But looking at the petty rangers was enough consolation.

With fear in their normal colored eyes, they looked at him helplessly, in confusion, in sadness.

The, now, evil Red ranger cracked his neck hauntingly. He stared at the people that were dressed like him once again. He was disgusted beyond reasonable belief. His eyes flashed green twice within his helmet. He was fighting on the _right_ side. And that's when it happened, he cackled so deeply and wickedly.

"What. Was. That," Emily questioned, slithers of fear bubbled in her frame. Her leader wasn't her leader anymore.

Despair filed in. All unsure of what to do. A spell was obviously causing this, but how to break the spell? They weren't sure. Emily, Mike, and Mia didn't have time to come up with a plan or wrap their heads around what they were witnessing.

Then, she stood up.

"Jayden, stop," Mia demanded with all of her might. She bravely faced Jayden. At least, that's what she wanted the conscious Yellow and Green rangers to think. She withdrew her sword, unsure if she could really fight her leader. Yet, she had to protect everyone and pray he wouldn't hurt her.

In the days leading up to this fight, her and Jayden had spent an incessant amounts of time with each other. They always practiced their Symbol Powers, they sparred often, and she even enjoyed when he cooked meals for her. Though, he never did let her cook one for him. She liked that he was warming up to everyone, especially her. She actually kept the receipt from when he paid for the cupcakes. She tucked the item deep in one of her drawers. He really didn't have to do that. And Emily even took a picture of their time posed as soon to be husband and wife. She was falling for Jayden, and she knew that was against the rules, but she couldn't help it.

Right now, she wanted to fight for what was right. She stood straighter.

"Mia, don't," Mike didn't want her to be in the line of fire.

"I'm fine," she struggled to be believable though. "We are your friends."

"Friends," Jayden cynically repeated. His menacing cackle returned. "I don't have friends." Emily, Mike, and Mia glanced looks at each other with worry.

Kevin was just beginning to come to."Jayden!" He cried once more.

_Sick 'em_, rang in the Red ranger's ear. He ran to Mia first. He scissor kicked her, which she blocked. He punched her helmet, disabling her, then he was able to spin kick her. She fell to the ground. He powerfully kicked her stomach in one second.

Mia's body unnaturally flew upwards at the contact. As she crashed to the ground, she knew one, maybe two of her ribs came out of place. "Ahhhh," she yelped in agony. Her sword detached from her hands suddenly, and she tried to use the ground as a way to help her stand. All she was doing was grabbing balls of dirt. Even if she put all of her Symbol Power into it, she still wouldn't be able to.

"Mia!" Emily screamed.

Jayden embraced the side of evil like it was second nature. The Red ranger extended his sword as high as he could. He hovered over the weakened Pink ranger. When this pummeled down on her, she would be no more. He could taste victory; it was a mere second away.

Mike took this opportunity. It was desperately needed. He rushed towards Jayden, eliciting a battle cry, front flipped like an acrobat over his leader's head, and with his weapon drew an 'X' and stabbed his back. He swiftly trounced to the side, hoping to gain some kind of opening. The body of the Red ranger bent back then dropped forward. The Green ranger recovered Mia and took her a few feet away. Emily followed, trying to drag Kevin's bigger body along with her.

As a team, they were able to navigate away from Jayden.

"You pathetic rangers," Jayden curtly hissed. "About time you took a shot, Green." He kicked up to his feet. Again, he stared them down, ready to attack. "You're all weak!"

"Jayden, no," Kevin passionately called for the third time, trying to make his leader abandon this way. It was up to him now. He had to get them out of here. Mia was hurt very badly. "This isn't you!"

"Of course it's me. This runs in my blood."

"Your blood," the statement caught Mike off guard, while holding his sword up at Jayden. "What do you mean your blood?"

Madimot watched in glee. His plan was working out better than he could ever imagined. The Red ranger was going to battle on the side of evil. He had to pat himself on the back at this development. "Red, attack!"

The fighting commenced once more. Jayden hauled ass towards them.

"Watch, Mia," Kevin directed Emily, and he went to fight. He hated to go against his leader, his friend, but what else was there to do. He stopped Jayden with his own sword. Kevin broke free, shuffled his feet,and slashed Jayden's chest. Jayden swooped backwards, only to land on his feet successfully. "Oh, no, Jayden," he murmured a discreet apology. This felt wrong. He was caught off guard. Jayden's sword ripped through him, and he painfully traveled back.

"Get up, Blue!"

Kevin rose, ebbing paroxysms recurring, but that wasn't going to stop him. He gave Mike an affirming nod. The two charged towards Jayden, maneuvering in and out of their leader's attacks. They took turns wielding their swords towards him. In, out, in, out, side to side, and side once more. They circled around, trying to avoid Jayden's abrupt skill. The Red was not deterred. The container for the Red Lion effortlessly battled them. He blocked the advances. Sparks flew everywhere. Now the Red ranger made contact almost every chance he got. He slashed Kevin, struck Mike, and the the Green and Blue rangers were whirled to side of the female rangers. Smoke coming from their power suits.

"Mwahah," Jayden reveled in this. He summoned his disc and secured the circle underneath his sword. He smirked. He lifted his weapon. "Blazing strike," he spun, so more power could come. The fire hurled forward.

Mike immediately pushed Mia away. She was unconscious; she didn't know what was going on. "Ahhh!" The suits of the rangers were literally melting from the fire. They were rolling on the ground trying to distinguish whatever was left of the Red ranger's shot.

Pretty soon, they were motionless like the Pink ranger.

Again, the Red ranger was ready to pounce on them. He growled.

"No, I'm drying out," Madimot informed the Red ranger. "We must go. We'll dance with them another time."

"I will finish this," Jayden decreed, not listening to the demands of his creator. "If you must go, then go!"

Madimot wasn't taking no for answer. "We _will_ leave," he slung his bull whip down. Jayden suddenly obeyed and bowed in front of him. "You wait with Tiggy, and I'll replenish in the river." Once more, he whirled the dominant item down. They were soon gone.

Kevin watched them leave. He was grateful. He struggled to draw the symbol, but he made it happen. "Symbol... power," he slightly coughed. "Teleport."

In a blink, all that was left were the outline of their bodies and burnt grass.

**Xxxxx**

**Later that Night  
Shiba House- Medical Room**

Mentor had gasped at the injuries the rangers had sustained. All had one degree burns, cuts on various parts of their face and body, and then, there was Mia. She needed the most recovery time because of the bandages around her midsection. Ji had to read about this Nighlock and a way to break this hold on Jayden, his student, his own informal adopted son. This was crazy and shocking. It was uncharacteristic of the boy he's dedicated his life to.

And then, there was the Tigerzord. He needed to find a way to bring that back to this side too. He shook his head. Today's events were bogging him down. He was brought of his thoughts when he heard Mia coughing. He went to her side at once.

"Mia, are you alright," he was concerned for her well-being. To be viciously attacked like she was, she just needed rest. "No, no," he gently spoke to her. "Don't get out of the bed."

"I-I," she winced at the stinging coming from the side of her stomach. She babied her left side. "I can't just stay in bed," she murmured lowly, feeling down on herself. She wasn't able to breakthrough to Jayden. She thought she could because of how close they had gotten recently.

"But you have to," he ordered, as he examined her body. Her Samurai powers would help heal her quicker than the average person. With her power suit added, she'd be battle ready. "Your muscles are weak and a couple of ribs are broken."

"How's everyone else?"

"They're asleep. I gave them some remedy, so they could rest without interruption. They are concerned about you, but they know you're strong as well."

"I'm sorry, Mentor," she abruptly apologized. Mentor's eyebrow cocked like a famous wrestler's. "I thought I could get through to him, make him see that wasn't him, but I-I failed," she described sadly. "I really did try."

"Mia," Ji firmly, yet soothingly reprimanded. "Stop. You did what you thought was best. I'm not exactly sure what's going to happen next, but I have confidence all of you will help Jayden come back to the side of good."

She began to sniffle, and she ignored the biting feeling of her ribs detaching from their rightful place.

"Do you need some time alone?"

"Yes, please," she answered in a soft voice with watered eyes. She tried her best to be optimistic, but she remained realistic. She laid back down on her back. Her eyes concentrated on the ceiling. Eventually, she was able to sleep.

Mentor made sure she had her privacy. As he walked down the corridor, he stopped at one of the sliding doors that led to the outside. He looked up to the night sky, littered with stars and a crescent moon. He wondered if this was a characteristic of Jayden's birth parents. He couldn't help but think they could be here to maybe talk to him, guide him, and help him break this spell. Then, he thought the truth of his origins would probably amplify the already temperamental emotions running rampant in his body.

The Blue ranger shuffled out of the room he shared with Mike. He yawned and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Mentor," he groaned, as he tried to shake the tiredness off. "What are you doing awake?"

"I should ask you the same thing," Mentor walked over to Kevin. He slung one of Kevin's arms over his shoulder, and they crept towards the kitchen. He helped Kevin sit on one of the bar stools. "Tea," he asked, since he knew the Blue ranger wasn't ready to go back to bed. He hoped this second batch of tea would help him rest.

"Shouldn't you tell me to go to bed or something," the younger man nodded nonetheless.

"I'm tired of fighting," Ji turned the kettle on, and after a few minutes he faced Kevin. "Mia woke up. She apologized for not making Jayden see the good."

"Did she?"

"Yeah, she's really down. I haven't seen her like that before."

"Mike and Emilly told me what she did. She faced Jayden on her own, and well, she suffered the consequences."

If Mentor had his stick, he would've whipped Kevin right then and there. "Excuse me."

Kevin sighed. "Mentor, we are a team. We face the Nighlocks together," he explained as he intercepted a cup of piping hot tea from Mentor.

They sat across from each other.

"Jayden isn't a Nighlock," reminded Ji.

"He isn't? What he did to all of us would be something a Nighlock would do. You saw how hurt Mia was and look at the rest of us," anger boiled inside of Kevin.

"What would do if you were in his position? What if you were turned evil? Would you feel the same way," the older man fired questions.

"I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't attack my friends," the Blue ranger insisted, while breaking eye contact with Mentor. His body wasn't in correlation with his words of denial. "Alright, I wouldn't know."

"So, you know you're friends," Mentor replayed the words. He agreed they were Jayden's friends. That little boy from the farmer's market all those years ago wasn't a friend, at least, in his opinion. He was glad that Jayden was surrounded by people with ambition, drive, and focus. So, this was refreshing and something that would fill a void in Jayden's heart.

"Yeah, of course," Kevin eagerly nodded, though he didn't understand Ji's inquiry. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that about Mia. She probably had our interests in our mind."

"I'm worried she's going to keep beating herself up over this."

"Me too," Kevin sipped the last drop of his green tea. "I'm also concerned about Jayden, and how he would feel about this. Do you have any way to break this?"

"I do, and you''re going to be the person to do it," Mentor informed. "Are you up to the challenge?"

Kevin's eyes grew wide. "Are you sure," he asked, wary if he could even do something of this caliber.

"Positive. Can you bring him back, even though it means you possibly have to fight him? Your leader, your friend."

"I know fighting will be involved," Kevin relayed with a sad tone. He rubbed his head, hoping to get some kind of release from this dire situation. "But this if for Jayden and will benefit the team. What do I have to do, Mentor," he questioned with determination.

**Xxxxx**

**The Next Day  
PC Building Yard**

As much as Master Xandred wanted the Red ranger all to himself, everyone knew that would be impossible. A human couldn't survive in the Netherworld, and a Nighlock, especially one of Master Xandred's rank, would easily dry out in the human world. But that was the point, in Master Xandered's opinion. He wished to use his massive hands to squeeze the puny neck of his arch-nemesis, torture him, and make the curtains close on the Red ranger's life.

Deker's demands could burn in hell!

Again, Madimot denied the Master his command. He wanted to make the rangers fight their leader once more, since it was fun. He arrived back to the goodness of Earth with foot soldiers, Tiggy, and of course Jayden. They were wreaking havoc at the PC Building Yard. Workers were tossed against equipment two at a time it looked like. The corrupting factors from the red water took over, and this was now their post. They triggered a gap sensor.

As soon as he heard the buzzard, Kevin ran out, forgoing arriving with his team. After Mentor's talk, he knew what he had to do. He met with Jayden.

Madimot sat on top of a wide blue container. If he actually ate food, he would've had a tub of popcorn with him. He instigated this fight, threatening to cause the Red ranger to turn the sword on himself. His excitement just couldn't be contained, at this point. He was flamboyantly moving around, whip in hand flinging it around wildly.

"Nice of you to show up, Blue ranger," Jayden sarcastically said his hello, while facing away from his opponent. He had that menacing smirk plastered on his lips. He couldn't wait for this battle. He hungered for it.

"I don't want to fight you," Kevin stressed as he hoped that would get through Jayden's head. Alas, that wasn't possible. He had to fight. He was positive his leader, if he could be called that right now, would hound him and the rest of the rangers if this didn't happen. He gripped his Samuraizer until his knuckles turned white. He was torn.

Jayden turned diabolically.

Kevin gasped at the eyes. They were green and full of so much hate. He had never seen a sight like this before. He closed his eyes, reclaiming any fortitude he had left.

"See something you like," Jayden cheekily asked with a grin. "You're staring kind of hard there. So, you swing that way, huh?"

"I don't swing that way," the Blue muttered with gritted teeth. He hated this Jayden with such passion.

"Go, go, Samurai!"

Both were morphed into their respective colored suits. Already, their swords were drawn. Left over right foot, they carefully circled. Tensely, the Blue ranger held his sword. He swallowed the fear that kept creeping, while Jayden nonchalantly yawn.

"I don't have all day, Blue."

"Why don't you strike first?"

"Gladly," Jayden roared, as he took the first few blows. He penetrated the Blue ranger's suit, almost drawing crimson ooze. "Come on," he beckoned, "Fight me!"

Kevin finally accepted and battled.

As their fight raged on, Emily and Mike were on each of Mia's sides. They aided her in coming here, so they could stop this, maybe even help. They weren't sure they could stomach the sight though. Their leader and their secondary leader were at the brink. They watched with troubled faces. This really was too much for them to bear. Screaming entreaties from the sidelines got them into a lot of trouble.

Madimot noticed them. He blasted the rangers.

Their bodies were easily tossed in the air, and their bodies bounced until they couldn't no more.

"Mia," Mike and Emily chorused through the pangs of thorniness. They checked on her.

"I'm-I'm fine," she declared, as she caught her breath. "Just help me up," which they did. She stood with their aid, and she watched, as the fight raged on. They were all over the place: on the ground, on a beam in the air, and on crates. Kevin avoided sword swipes; Jayden administered several strikes of his object. Desperately, she wanted this to end.

"Looks like we have a winner," the Pink, Yellow, and Green ranger heard someone say from behind.

The rangers quizzically stared at this guy, who came from nowhere. He was lean but muscular, dressed in a white, tattered robe, heavy black shirt and pants, combat boots, and he had something rather large in his hand. Ornate jewelry surrounded his neck. His black hair laid on his shoulder with waves forming at the bottom. He appeared dirty, but there wasn't a pungent scent being emitted.

"Who are you," Mike found his voice to speak.

"Doesn't matter who I am," the newest arrival answered, his eyes glued to the fight that was happening about twenty yards from them. "What matters is who's winning. It's not the man in Blue."

"What, how can you tell," Mia attempted to the conceal sadness within her. That's the last thing she needed to hear.

Breaking his eyes away from the duel, the sudden arrival turned to Mia. His breath was caught in his throat, as he took an actual look at the Pink ranger out of uniform. He was about to say something out of character, but he abstained, though it pained him to do so. He returned to face the fight. He shook his head, alleviating building pressure. He enlightened the rest of the rangers: The Art of a Duel. "The Red ranger has a good stance. It reduces arm fatigue. He'll stay strong," he examined closely. "And when the Blue goes for the point, the Red will see his opening, and he'll strike. He's looking for a decisive blow. That's the difference between these two."

Upon hearing those words, the rangers knew Kevin was done for. There was no other choice. They had to enter the fight now.

"Mia, you're too hurt, here," Mike gently laid Mia against a rock. He and Emily morphed, and they intervened.

Mia watched helplessly, as Green, Blue, and Yellow were whirling around from lethal strikes. All of them stood. Blue and Yellow swerved, Green hopped, Red slit them so easily. The rangers thumped around from successful bangs of Jayden's weapon, which Jayden loved.

She _had_ to do something.

"Where do you think you're going," that deep voice stopped her.

"To help."

"You're hurt," he pointed out, as he looked at her intensely.

"And I'm sure he's hurting too. This isn't him. He's not meant be like this," she struggled to stand. Vehement pain pulled her back down, but she attributed that to the fatigue of her muscles. If she morphed, she would be fine. She yearningly wished to be with her teammates. They were being tortured. Suddenly, she looked at a rugged and hairy hand. She stared, and then she looked at him. His eyes were overcame with this calming aura. They flashed between calm and trouble. With hesitancy, she took the help. While heading towards her friends, she sparingly looked over her shoulder.

The man watched in interest. He didn't know what washed over him. He supposed that's why he helped the monster from last week. He turned his head away, not watching her anymore or the fight. His mission was plain and clear. Helping others only obstructed his Urumasa's thirst.

"_You weren't supposed to do that!"_

"I had to!"

The man in beaten clothes grasped his head. The splitting headache was returning. He needed to retreat to his cave.

Madimot witnessed Mia enter the battle grounds. "No," he said under his breath.

Mia took staggered steps. She favored one side as she walked forward. Every inch she got closer, she knew what she had to do. She remained in her civilian clothes. She girded herself for what was to come.

Jayden watched in pure joy, as he saw the rangers cower in fear and defeat. "You can't beat me," he repeated over and over again. "What's this," he questioned, looking at the lone female, dressed in a long pink and white cardigan, white spaghetti strap, dark denim, and black flats. "A mere human," he noted, as if he was truly a Nighlock from the Sanzu River. He questioned what was the purpose of her being there. He kept his new green eyes on her.

"Mia, what the hell are you doing," Mike questioned, veins almost popping out of his neck.

"Oh, no," Kevin muttered in complete surprise.

"No, Mia, stop," Emily hissed. "She's not even in her power suit."

"That's the point," Mia warily said, and she shuddered with fear. "Jayden," she called for him, and she moved a centimeter. He immediately stepped back. His sword closed the distance between them. She inhaled at the pierce. One wrong move, she'd be gashed. "Don't, please."

Kevin stood. Breaths exited two a second. "Mia," he called, hoping she would stop this.

"No," she ignored Kevin, her eyes still on Jayden. "Jayden," she repeated again. "Listen, this isn't you."

"You don't know anything about me," Jayden denied.

"Jay," she was the only one that chose to call him that. "Your dad passed away when you were young, and you want to know who killed him? **_They_** did. Almost a decade later, your mom passed," she opened old wounds for him. The rangers were surprised about his mom. "You've been learning the way of the Samurai for quite awhile, and you probably didn't have much friends. But," she signaled the people closest to him, "we are your friends."

"You don't know me," he extended his sword behind and up in the air, a little apprehensive to even make it come down on her. The struggle was real. As much as he wanted to gut her like a fish, her serene features, her vulnerability, and the way she spoke to him was obstructing the effect of the spell. He went back and forth. His insides growling at the clear division.

"Mia," they shouted again.

Madimot would be damned if this earthling would dare interrupt the victory. He jumped to the ground. "Red, get her," he was behind the Red ranger. "She's trying to test you."

"I answer to no one," Jayden angrily muttered in defiance.

"You will," Madimot was ready to crack his whip once more, but he was halted.

Jayden quickly turned and slashed the whip in half, and he took this opportunity to have his sword at the gut of this monster. "I answer to no one," he repeated. "Are you deaf?"

"Kevin, now," Mia shouted her order in panic.

Immediately, Kevin took a cautious step forward. He grabbed his Samuraizer and drew the symbol, 'free'. He launched it towards Jayden. He hoped this would work.

"Ahhhh," the Red ranger screamed at the top of his lungs. He held his head, as he felt the evil purge from his system. Again, his core temperature shot up another ten degrees. Sweat encompassed hair, and then a cooling sensation brought his body close to normal. He started to breathe heavily and finally demorphed. He laid restless in his street clothes.

"Jayden!" The rest of the rangers demorphed also. They ran to check on him. He appeared to be alright.

Mia was practically showering in happiness. She fell to the ground. The emotions were just too much for her.

"What hap-pend," the leader questioned. He held onto his head until he finally came to his sense. He sat up with the help of his team. He looked around the place, unsure of how he even got here. He glanced at his team. Kevin had bandages on his face, Emily's wrist had a minor splint, and Mike, he appeared heavily soiled. Mia—he didn't see her. "Where's Mia?"

"Oh, no, Mia," Emily rushed back to the fallen Pink ranger. She placed her hand under her neck. "Mia, are you okay?!"

"I'm fine," Mia nodded. "Is he okay?"

Jayden panicked. He had to check on her. She was flat on her back, holding one side, and she looked like she was bandaged too. "Mia," he asked smoothly. He really got a look and saw how beaten she was. "What happened to you?!" He took over for Emily.

She watched his eyes flash from green to blue. The hold the Nighlock had was wearing off; it barely existed, but his eyes were still encased with deathly magic. She was afraid, but he wasn't laying a harmful finger on her, so she remained in his hold. "I'm fine. Right now, we have some work to do," she felt his arms wrap around her, and he helped her to rise.

The rest of the rangers listened. They would talk about what's happened later. All took up a fighting stance. Jayden covered Mia with his own body, as they all stood against the Nighlock.

"NOOOO!" Madimot screamed in defeat. He struggled to wrap his head around this. He almost had the win. It was in his fingertips. "Red, my puppet!" He began to growl now that the rangers had their Red ranger back. He overheard the rangers morph. "Tigerzord, crush them!" Ordered Madimot, as he flung his arm in the air.

Rising through the ground, the Tigerzord roared.

Kevin handed Jayden a disc. "Here, it's from Mentor."

The Red ranger nodded. "You guys take care of the Nighlock. I'll take care of the Tigerzord," Jayden resumed his commanding position. He took a good look at every single one of his teammates. They really had to fill in the missing pieces for him. He just pushed those thoughts away, as there was just no time. He had to bring back this zord. "Lionzord, Megamode power!" He entered the Red Lion.

His Lionzord faced the Tigerzord. Each in a battle position, ready to pounce on each other. Just like in the jungle, these two were set to battle for supremacy. Jayden maneuvered his zord forward, so he could get closer to the captured zord. He tried to disable the Tigerzord, but the zord was resisting the strikes. He wasn't going to give up, so he pushed his Red Lion forward once again, the Red Lion sunk its teeth into the Tigerzord, and for a slim moment, the White Tiger was down and unable to move.

At that moment, he thought his dad was helping him. He was just doing what felt right.

"HA," Jayden transferred himself into the Tiger. He knew he didn't have much longer, he kept calm under pressure, and he took out the rightful items. He placed his Megablade and blank disc into the driving compartment of this zord. "Tigerzord, resist power," he yelled in an instinctive way, and he pushed his blade in, hoping to break the spell once and for all. Once the disc had tigers spread around, he knew he had done his job. He longingly stared at the disc. "This is for you dad," he dedicated under his breath.

"Look, the Tigerzord is back on our side," Emily noticed, all the while, she was engaged in the fight against Madimot.

The rangers cheered, but their fight was still not over. In the heat of the demon's weakness, they summoned their power. Air Wave, Forest Vortex, Seismic Swing, and Dragon Splash seamlessly passed through the Nighlock's body and caused serious damage.

"Now, you got a big problem," Madimot was destroyed to its second form. "Bad Kitty," the monster admonished the White Tiger.

It was now Jayden's turn to face the Nighlock alone. He was ready to power this up. He heard the bumbling talk of the monster, and he was rather sick of it. "Oh, yeah, this cat has claws," he threatened. He commenced forward and encountered a little problem on the way.

"Did Jayden just flip his zord," Mike asked with his head cocked to the right.

"It's a tactic," Kevin defended, at least he hoped so.

"Right," Emily contradicted in such a nice way.

"Oh, shit," Mia muttered lowly, as she watched the debacle. She placed her hand on her hips.

Even Madimot was laughing at his the little blunder. "Oh jeez, Red. You can't control that zord, can you?"

Powerfully, sliding his Megablade to the right, he managed to get the zord back on its wheel. "Don't do that to me ever again," Jayden spoke to the zord as if it was a real person. He refocused on his task and forced his way towards the evil being. He deflected the fire balls, plowing straight through the supernatural force. The zord swerved around, only to come back and attack the Nighlock once more.

"Jayden needs our help," Kevin voiced, and he glanced at the rangers. Their nods gave away what they were to do next. He summoned his Dragonzord, ready to combat and defeat this Nighlock once and for all, and hopefully, the memories of today's fight with it.

The rangers formed the Samurai Megazord, and then Jayden combined the Tigerzord with the ultimate fighting machine. The Tigerzord broke down into the armor, and with ease, they were able to defeat the monster that had the mind control with a bullwhip. Once the rangers secured their victory, they powered down.

Dejectedly, Jayden walked home by himself. There was quite a lot on his mind.

**Xxxxx**

**Later that Night  
Shiba House- Living Room**

Adding another zord should've been cause for a celebration, but there wasn't any balloons, no cake, not even a toast of juice. They had all this extra power: the Beetle, the Swordfish, and now, this White Tiger. With the Samurai Megazord, they felt on top of the world, but with these, they should've felt like they were on top of the universe.

Sadly, Jayden's mood proved otherwise. The events of today were weighing down on him like a ton of bricks. He couldn't even look at his team the same way. In his power suit, it was slightly easier. The truth of him fighting his team, hurting Mia, and being so damn callous, he wished he could rewind time and prevent himself from being hit.

But honestly, he was glad it was him and not one of them.

The Red ranger faced the indoor training room, away from his team. They were engaged in a game with their folding zords acting as pieces. He heard the gallant cheers, the camaraderie, and the fun. He was about to go to his room, but Mentor stopped him.

"We need to talk," Mentor relayed strongly. He felt the distance, and he slightly pushed Jayden back. " Now," he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Fine," Mathew's son muttered with reluctance and a defying eye roll. He followed Mentor outside to the outdoor training yard. "What do we need to talk about?"

"The fight," Ji simply replied. "I want to get something straight."

"There's nothing to get straight. I was evil, I raised my sword against my team, they got hurt!"

"They're alive, aren't they?!"

"They almost weren't because of my actions," Jayden's voice was an octave louder, and he was looking at Ji with so much anger.

The mentor to the team was a little taken aback with his sudden abrasiveness. He whacked Jayden with the stick at the insubordination.

"OW!" his pupil yelped in pain. "What was that for?!"

"This isn't how you talk to me," Mentor pointed out, and he looked at Jayden with some ease. "What the Nighlock put you through wasn't you, and it was out of your control," he hoped that would make Jayden open his eyes rather than dwelling on what's happened."What's done is done. You're back to normal, your team still wants to fight on your side, and you have another ally, the Tigerzord."

"But-"

"No buts. Once you were returned to normal, you took up your leader position once more. You brought the Tigerzord back to your family without instruction. You led your team to defeat Maditmot. You didn't need coaxing; you just did it. You are a true leader!"

"But Ji-"

Ji interrupted the commander to the team. "You're being a big baby!"

"Ji," Jayden looked at him, offended by the comment. "I'm not a baby," he tucked his bottom lip into his upper lip.

"Oh really?! Then why are you over here, whining to yourself, while everyone is having fun," he asked.

For a moment, Jayden was silenced. They were having fun without him. The first time, they went to the amusement park was without his company, and while he worked perilously with the Beetle disc. And now, here he was, outside engaging in a verbal fight with his teacher, his stand in dad, the only person to be by his side through the deaths of his parents.

He enjoyed going to the amusement park with them actually. He remembered that day vividly. They must've rode all the rides three times. They ate cotton candy, large turkey legs, funnel cakes, and drank large slushies. They were there until the park closed. He had never laughed so much in his life, and he attributed that to _them._

Mentor watched the guilt. Jayden just needed a break, a time to relax, and to forget about what happened earlier. The Nighlock was using him as a pawn. Kevin, Mike, Emily, and especially Mia, understood that. Then, the truth came to light. He was beginning to see this team, which was really Lauren's team, as a group of friends. He began to grin.

"I see now," Ji stated knowingly. "You raised your Spinsword against your friends."

"They're not—" The Red ranger contemplated his words. He really didn't have a set of friends before. There was Antonio, but that was for two weeks. "They're-they're my friends." The realization appeared on his face, which seemed to illuminate a bit.

"Is that a question or a statement?"

"A statement," Jayden said, though his execution was rather weak. Mentor peered at Jayden with a watchful eye. "I don't know what it's like to have friends," he admitted.

"Then interact with them! They aren't angry for what happened. If they were, they'd be running back to their homes, giving up their duty, and leaving you alone. But look, they're here," Mentor could talk to Jayden until he was blue in the face, but he had faith in Jayden. "Don't be so dense," he patted him on the shoulder with some encouragement laced in. "The spell's gone, don't go with it." He returned to the inside.

Jayden simply nodded and trailed Ji. He walked to the living room, where the others were playing the game. "Can I join," he questioned hopefully.

Mike nodded enthusiastically. "Of course," he held up the dice for Jayden.

Mia, Emily, and Kevin were beaming over his presence.

Jayden happily took the dice, he grabbed his folding zord. Red Lion unfolded and slid onto the board, slightly crashing in between the Pink Turtle and Blue Dragon. He blew on the dice for some luck, shuffled them in his right hand, and released to the board. He rolled snake eyes, and he allowed his zord to move the board freely. Kevin went next, followed by Mia, then Mike, and Emily. They continued this game until the Green Bear won. All laughed, and they decided it was time to clean up. They were all drained from the day.

As they were about to go to their rooms, the leader wished to speak to Mia.

"Hey, Mia," he called, and she stopped to look at him. He watched as she deeply searched his eyes for something. "Are you okay?"

"Sorry," she hung her head in shame. She was caught.

He placed his right index finger under her chin, and he made her make eye contact with him. Being with her felt like second nature too, and everything about her made him a happy guy. It was refreshing. He hoped none of that had changed. "Were you looking for anything in particular," he asked her.

She nodded. "Your eyes, they're still Blue," she whispered. Jayden's eyebrows almost came together at what she said. He questioned what she was talking about. "When you were evil," she explained, "your eyes were green."

"Green," he echoed in surprise. "Not red?"

"No, green. Darker than the color of Mike's suit, rather frightening too. I don't think I've ever been that scared before," she elaborated further. "What caused that?"

"I-I don't know," he honestly said, and he shook his head softly. "I'm sorry if I scared, hurt, or did anything that was out of the ordinary. I know it was the Nighlock's spell, but I can't help, but feel guilty for being responsible."

Mia took his hands into hers. She rubbed gently, and she shook her head this time. "There's no need for you to apologize. Don't feel sorry for yourself and understand we get it," she comforted with a hint of a smile. She was afraid of this. She was worried he was going to mentally berate himself, but she just knew they would all get passed this. He would get passed this. "I'll be fine. In a couple of days, I should be fully healed," she released his hands and began to walk.

"Hey, Mia," he called once again. She looked at him once more. He walked up to her. "While I was evil, and with the green eyes, why did you face me without your suit," he needed to know.

She elevated her shoulders up and down, and she looked around avoiding his eyes. She wanted to know how to word this without making her feelings super obvious. "Jay," she said his name in the way that would make him become putty, "because deep down, inside of you, I just knew you wouldn't hurt me. Good night," she departed for her room.

As Jayden walked to his, he thought some more. Of course he wouldn't hurt her, he liked her too much to do so.

* * *

**A/N:** Special Thanks to **UltimateGundamFighter. **

**A/N:** So, this was a special twist of 'I've Got a Spell on Blue'. Like father, like son. ;)


	13. Chapter 13- The Brush

**Episodes- **Test of the Leader & Jayden's Challenge

**Xxxxx**

**Chapter 13- The Brush**

**May 2011  
Test of the Leader  
Sanzu River  
Netherworld**

Master Xandred, king of Nighlocks and ruler of the Netherwold, growled in anguished anger. He couldn't even finish the rice wine that was his luxuriant remedy. The words Octoroo said played in his head. Only one part stood out the most though.

He had been foolish. Deker, like Dayu, another half Nighlock, half human, had boarded the ship over a month ago. The king must've been overly drunk, didn't recognize Deker, or he hadn't fully comprehended the sentences exiting Deker's mouth. In the midst of demand he, ruler of the Netherworld, stay out of his and the Red ranger's way, so his sword's thirst could be satisfied, he revealed the truth of _who_ sealed him away.

Octoroo dug and dug, and he found the person.

"_The power used to seal you here has always rested in the hands of the Shiba Family, headed by the Red ranger!"_

Deker knew of this before **him.**

That caused his rage to bubble and teeter over the edge, and he almost demolished the items aboard the ship, even almost attacked Octoroo and Dayu. He abruptly stopped.

The rangers had to be destroyed.

"Moogers attack! Destroy them all!," he shouted furiously.

**Xxxxx  
**

**7 Minutes Later  
****City Hall  
****Downtown Panorama City, CA**

The citizens of Panorama City were running frantically throughout the streets of downtown trying to seek cover. Moogers were coming through the gap sensors in handfuls. The evil foot soldiers were hell bent on causing terror and making sure the people wept to the point their eyes could no longer bear being in its sockets. Their weapons were raised, their foot movements were quick, and death to anything with blood in their veins consumed whatever spirit they had.

Sounds erupted in the Shiba House in such a panic over the onslaught. Just seconds after exiting the Shiba Gate, they were already morphed.

Bulk and Spike, who were at the Farmer's Market picking up groceries for a week, watched the opened mouth creatures. They had been preparing, or at least they thought were, for this type of fight. They did survive their first 'battle' already. At first, they hesitated, but they gave each other assuring pep talks. Uncle and nephew ran with screeching battle cries towards the monsters, in hopes of protecting the people.

The lowest monsters on the totem pole from the Sanzu River whirled around. They looked at these civilians as if they were fresh meat. They immediately ran after them.

"Uh, ah, uh," Bulk and Spike whimpered and ran to an isolated field, cursing themselves for even trying to help and wishing Uncle Tommy, Auntie Kimberly, or any other Uncle and Auntie was there. Hell, a cousin could even help too!

The foot soldiers chased and came upon them, stalking their prey, their swords rhythmically swaying up and down like dandelions in the wind. The smell of good tickled their noses, as the female rangers landed before them. They abandoned the regular people and went to fight the Yellow and Pink ranger. Mia's sword slid against their stomachs, chests, and backs. Not too far away, Emily utilized hand to hand combat intermittently with her sword. Her sword swung around, her body hovered in and out, and she gracefully hunched over, so the oncoming attackers could eat grass.

The Pink ranger got an opening and covered Spike. Her sword was held in front of them."Are you okay," she used her free arm and had Spike against her. He tried to speak but couldn't. The way she protected him and moved around so bravely caused him to become bitten by the love bug. "You gotta get out of here." Her eyes, even covered by the Japanese symbol for 'heaven', went all over the place.

Spike just relished in her arms. He loved this feeling. "Eh, eh, eh," his murmurs didn't make any sense to anyone else. He was really mumbling, 'I'm in love with you already'.

"As of right now," she ordered, since he wasn't moving at all!

"Right know," he questioned with a love sick grin harshly applied on his features, not wanting this to end. He was going to touch her helmet, maybe even unbuckle to see who was under there.

Uncle Bulk rushed to his nephew's side. He was able to get a clear way thanks to the swift skills of the Yellow ranger. He grabbed Spike's clothes, anxiously tugging at them to get him up. Then, he saw her. She was so close; he could even smell delicate perfume coming from her. "Ah, ah, ah, you're a Samurai ranger," he crooned in happiness.

She was ready to end this meet and greet. "And you're both in danger," the Pink ranger silenced them. She couldn't help but think they were being idiots. "Please, get to safety," she practically begged and raced to help Emily.

Bulk tried to pull his nephew back, only to see Spike stand firm. The teen lovingly blew kisses to the Pink ranger, hoping one would hit her. As fireballs showered, Uncle and nephew quickly booked it.

And Moogers were truly everywhere. When a group was destroyed, another group came on to the scene. The male rangers formed the Samurai Battlewing—consisting of the Beetle, Tiger, and Swordfish Zords, and they destroyed the Moogers that were as tall as skyscrapers. The male rangers looked towards the land. They also kept watch over their female teammates.

Mia and Emily could feel their muscles growing tired, and they were hoping the guys were going to descend to the ground soon—very soon.

Almost immediately, Jayden traveled in the air, his sword extended, and he began to slice through the Moogers. Kevin and Mike arrived as well, and the colorful rangers formed a circle. They faced the army of foot soldiers and quickly thought on their feet. Power discs were summoned and used against them. Red energy, blue energy, pink energy, yellow energy, and green energy swirled against the existing Moogers. Though, they were destroyed, more came from the crevices, ready to fight. The rangers could only gasp before fighting once more. This task was turning out to be harder than they imagined. They swung, twirled, bounced precisely and made their swords dance against the piling enemies. Anything that was thrown at them, the rangers forcefully bypassed.

Until, that voice came.

"_**Red ranger... Red ranger... Red ranger..." **_

Each menacing call caused the Moogers to fall into a deep stated trance. They moved like zombies, ignoring the calls of the others rangers to fight them. They inched and inched their way closer to their target-the Red ranger.

The cracks glowed with a haunting tint of red.

"Master Xandred," Jayden exhaled under his breath. He concentrated on the cracks, and he imagined the look appearing on the king of Nighlock's face. The reddened monster with cerulean blue armor and spikes was infuriated, at his wit's end even. The master wanted to decimate the Power Rangers and everything they stood for. In the Red ranger's veins, his own angered coursed through. He doubled his power and stole Emily's Spinsword, which caused her body to quake, as enemies were dying left and right so rapidly. She just couldn't keep up.

"I've been wanting to try a new symbol combination for awhile now," Jayden spoke up. "Lightning, Blazing Strike," he boisterously summoned. Fire and lightning united and defeated the rest of the Moogers in totality, and he powered down not too long after.

The bits and pieces of the foot solders became nothing, as he walked forward, straying from his team. One foot in front of the other was the way he stepped, trying to get as close as he could to the lingering voice—**his** lingering voice.

"That wasn't just a normal Nighlock, was it," the Pink ranger knowingly questioned. She hadn't felt this frightened, since Jayden was evil.

"That was Master Xandred," Jayden tersely replied, his features as hard as rocks.

Kevin was shocked. "Master Xandred, you mean he's back?!"

Emily nodded adamantly. "Well, duh, Kevin, he would have to be back. These Nighlocks don't just come out of the sky," she muttered.

The Green ranger ignored the slight bickering. "Why would he be saying, 'Red ranger, Red ranger'," he imitated the voice, but he could never be that close to the tormenting pitch.

The leader to the Samurai rangers had a clue. The only logical reason was because of his sister, Lauren. "We should get back to the house," he ordered, ignoring his thoughts. She wasn't ready. If she was, she would've made her appearance, resumed her position, and taken _his_ friends already.

He wasn't ready for her to return.

**Xxxxx**

**Half an Hour Later  
Shiba House- Jayden's Room**

"She's not ready, she's not ready," he chanted with his eyes closed, as he laid on his bed. He angrily looked at the ceiling of his room. His fists clenched and unclenched violently.

Mentor unveiled the method used to defeat the master of the Nighlocks to the team. The _Sealing Symbol,_ a symbol he knew existed, but not once has ever attempted. He wondered why he never got the opportunity. From his earliest recollection, he remembered Lauren going to the yard, their dad helping her perform the strokes, and Mentor Yaki intently watching from the side. At four years old, Jayden would watch from a sliding door, and each time he made even one step, and it could even be one of his tippy toes, outside, he was immediately sent to timeout. Over time, he seemingly forgot that wasn't his responsibility anyways.

Yet, it's his sister's.

And he wished, he could ask her how she was doing. He's missed about 12 of her birthdays, and he was sad to be without her. He remembered her smile, her strong whips of her sword, and she made drawing kanji symbols look so easy. The power was literally in her body and blood, and she hit all her marks. Again, he thought, if she was ready, she'd be here, leading Kevin, Mike, Emily, and Mia into battle. Instead, he was, and damn it, he's proudly accepted this. He was actually doing something worthwhile.

Mike's praise, Emily's defense, Kevin's questions, and Mia's spirit, about the Sealing Symbol made his chest tighten though. They really had no idea.

"_Only members of the Red ranger's Shiba Family can use this symbol..."_

Ji's words reverberated.

It was the only explanation of Master Xandred's return. Obviously, he's been here for longer than they knew. The symbol was definitely imperfect. He remembered it does take a lot of Symbol Power to complete. His dad was already at the step of heaven's gates, once Master Xandred swung his sword and once his dad sealed Master Xandred away, his dad completely entered heaven. He could only imagine his father's last thoughts.

Jayden's phone rang, which brought him out of his stupor.

"Hello," he answered promptly.

"_I've gone to the market. The others are dressed and practicing. Cover for me,"_ Mentor said, hoping he wasn't giving away a clue of where he had actually gone.

"Yes, Mentor."

"_Are you okay?"_

"I'm fine."

"_Alright. Well, is there anything you want to eat?"_

He thought about it. "Ahi tacos," he replied. "I'm unsure of the others. You think of something they'd like."

"_You got it," Mentor hung the phone up. _

The Red ranger stood and went to get ready for practice. Despite his personal feelings, he needed to think like a Red ranger.

**Xxxxx**

**15 Minutes Later  
Rock Quarry**

Barely into their workout, the sensor buzzed urgently like it always did when a Nighlock entered this realm. Jayden ran into the house, and he touched the watered map. The red blinking dot alerted them to head to the Rock Quarry, which was a converging point for major cities in Southern California.

Hitching a ride from the Samurai Escalade, the rangers arrived in a fair amount of time. They quickly exited, and their feet was even faster once they hit solid ground. There, on the tallest point of the rocks, was the monster. This Nighlock looked to be a bird experiment gone horribly wrong. Elaborate armor, a Scottish accent, fangs, menacing grin, and he was ready to extort suffering and damage. His target was straightforward. Jayden seemed to be the target on everyone's list.

"Sorry? I'll show you who's going to be sorry," Jayden maliciously threatened. He faced the Nighlock bravely, his face contorted with ferocity, and he was ready, despite hearing the pleas of his team. He brushed them off, ignored them, and their words of earlier caused him to become vastly furious.

It wasn't their job to protect him. They needed to protect themselves. He could handle himself; he'd _been_ handling himself. He thought back to the words he eavesdropped upon and his cold responses.

_'If we work as a team, we can protect Jayden from anything.' _

_'Now, I see it. That's why we've been training our whole lives.' _

_'No, That's not necessary. You protect yourselves. It's business as usual. Stay focused on the battle at hand, as a team. Okay?'_

_'We must protect you. At all costs!'_

_'NO! That's just too much of a burden to bear.'_

He was not the 18th Head of the Shiba Clan. He was an impostor, a fake, and he only did what was necessary for his family and the world. If they protected him and got hurt, it would be for a foolish reason. He cared far too much, as their friend, to let them sacrifice their lives for a lie. He wanted to protect them; it shouldn't be the other way around.

The rangers knew why they were gunning for the Red ranger. Kevin fiercely grabbed his leader's right arm, attempting to dissuade Jayden to stop the madness. Mike on Jayden's opposite arm held a firm grip, agreeing that this was stupid—he, their leader, was being stupid. They both struggled against the power he had over them. Mia and Emily watched, debating whether or not to join in. They fidgeted.

The Reed ranger felt their tugs and them blocking, but that wasn't going to stop him. Jayden's blue eyes, hard as diamonds, gorgeous as the sky, rough as sandpaper, pierced and concentrated solely on Robtish, who was actually feared by other Nighlocks. He finally broke free and charged forward.

His team watched and gasped, protecting their bodies against the fireballs shooting from Robtish's free hand. Once the smoke cleared, they made out Jayden stealth and lithe form run, as if nothing was raining down on him. There was so much determination in him, like he had something to prove.

"Go, go Samurai," Jayden shouted, and he morphed into his red suit decorated with the Shiba crest. He soared to meet with Robtish. He grabbed his Spinsword and worked it. Up, down, left, right, his weapon pierced, blocked, and made contact again. He circled around, bent unusually like a gymnast, and he tried to prevent any slash from the monster. He was huffing, panting, and getting tired, but the adrenaline made him ignore that.

In the distance, _he_ appeared once more.

"_Do your duty!"_

"I know what I have to do. I see the Red ranger."

Meanwhile, Kevin, already morphed like the rest of the team, was juggling fighting Moogers and watching Jayden engaged in a sword fight. He wished to jump up there and assist, but the foot soldiers were occupying his time. He growled and faced them. His sword easily slid through their hardened skin. Mike, Emily, and Mia motioned for the Blue ranger to get back to this matter.

One powerful strike caused Jayden to turn seven hundred and twenty degrees horizontally. He landed on his knees roughly. The coarse rocks helped to break his fall. Robtish's sword was directly pointed at him, and he used this opportunity for a 'double slash'. Sensing his move, the Red ranger rolled to his back, flicked his sword around and struck the monster's chest. Robtish stumbled a bit, but he regained his stability. His sword chomped down on Jayden's, and he did his 'double slash' again.

It was successful.

Jayden's body flew on to the floor. The scorching blow was lethal and left him in a state of paralysis for a second. He was thankful for the little break, to be honest. However, the attack consequently made its round. He screamed with harmful electric shock coursing through his body. As a result, he exhaled rather deeply. His whole entire body felt baked.

Robtish hadn't dried out yet. He watched the helpless and pathetic Red ranger. "Double slash," he faced his victim, victory dancing inside, and he was ready to destroy him.

"Jayden!" Kevin and Emily raced to save Jayden.

They both jumped and took the shot that was meant for him. Their bodies were consumed with fire, lightning, and the ever surging energy caused them to shudder uncontrollably. They were praying this torture would stop, they could feel their consciousness slipping, and their protection perishing. "Ahhhh," they released in unison. Their knees dropping to the floor first, and finally, their chests said 'hello' to the ground.

"This is exactly what I didn't want to happen," Jayden gasped with regret, looking at their comatose bodies. He was panic stricken, swaying his body left, right, in taut motions unsure of who to take care of first. He didn't have time to think because the Sanzu River demon was approaching his way. He flipped over, covering his body over theirs. He was still shielded, as they were not. "Don't touch them!"

"We got to help," Mike shouted, and he utilized his Spinsword with green power. He signaled for Mia.

Mia nodded. She twirled her sword around, and she followed Mike through the brush fire. They intervened and assisted Jayden for the team's sake. She couldn't let her emotions, since she was the mother of the team, obstruct what she was sent to do, but she couldn't help but fear what's happened with Kevin and Em. Not only that, but it was clear to feel the guilt emanating from Jayden. His body movements said it all. She shook her head and kept her sword risen.

"Five for the price of one, now that's a deal," Robtish gleefully praised this. He was set to attack.

Deker ambushed the rangers and Robtish. He hacked his fellow Nighlock, slit Mike and Mia twice, and he was hungry for more. His prize, the Red ranger, was vulnerable. His team wasn't there to save him no longer. Now, he had glee jumping inside of him.

"_Now, now, now!" _

Deker paused a moment. His human side came forth, and the sight of the Pink ranger, in street clothes and helpless, caused him to gulp roughly. She looked really hurt. He had to save her.

_"No, she's the enemy just like **him.** That's who I want is **him."**_

Jayden watched Mia and Mike power down without their consent. They rolled over like pigs in a blanket. He looked at Mia in particular, and her flowing, long, ebony hair sprawled around her. He immediately grabbed for Mia or Mike's sword, he didn't care at this point, he just needed artillery, and blocked this other Nighlock's attack. He faced the white body with a reddened mask, chest, thigh muscles, the face of a devil out of a child's nightmare with flames sprouting from his head, and pointy spikes. He looked like a skeleton with his insides out. He struggled against the pin from the red and white sword. Deker, he overheard Robtish growl.

"Red ranger is _our_ opponent, not yours," Deker claimed his possession. His eyes concentrated on the Red ranger. Urumasa sensed the strength and tenacity of the Red ranger, while the sword was literally licking against the Red ranger's weapon. This battle was about to taste sinful. "I'll ask you once, please leave."

Robtish's mission was clear. He wouldn't obey a damn half human, even if his life depended on it. He wouldn't partake in such a shameful death. He opposed Deker's wish, and he was ready to fight for the object of Master Xandred's eye. He commenced and fought both.

Jayden curved his body, enabling himself to pick up the other sword. He faced both Nighlocks on his own. He swerved out of their attacks. Blocked their onslaught of strikes, and he circled them. His body bent in and out irregularly, and he struck when he could. He was fighting for survival and to protect his team, who were his friends. _God! If only they hadn't been so stupid,_ he thought in his head. He continued to move around, making his moves unpredictable, but predicting their next swift slashes. In the midst of it all, he was getting tired. He was heavily panting, and he could feel streams of sweat dribble down his head. That didn't matter. He summoned fire, and he waltzed towards them. Deker was hit first, then Robtish.

Eventually, the trio formed a triangle. Deker's sword against Robtish's face, Robtish's weapon in close proximity to the Red ranger's helmet, and Jayden proficiently held both Nighlocks in submission. All were glaring at each other. Robtish backed down first. He was drying out and needed to be replenished. He escaped into a crack. Now, there were two. Jayden intently looked at Deker with question and anger.

"Why did you help me." he asked the man.

"My only desire is to find someone skilled enough to be his opponent, someone worthy to clash against my Urumasa," Deker resumed a perfect fighting pose.

"_Fight him, do it!"_

Mike begged for Jayden to not surrender to Deker's wishes.

Red ranger ignored and tried to prove himself once more, even if it meant sending himself to the medical bay. He was weak. He had used a lot of Symbol Power already, and he wasn't sure how he was going on. Adrenaline could be the only answer at this moment. He rose his sword against Deker, and they ran in sync. He tried his best, but his best wasn't enough. "Ahhh," he screamed, he felt Urumasa slide by. He collapsed onto his knees.

"_That's not the fight I want! It was far too easy."_

Urumasa's sayings was clear. Deker backed down, spoke on behalf of Urumasa, and bounced high into the air. His unnatural and stealth ability caused him to land on a high point; he was in his human form now. His hair soared in the wind. Before leaving to his enclave, he relayed Urumasa's words. "Red ranger, you will give him the the battle he's wanted for centuries. So for now, we leave you, until you are at your best again, then we will duel."

"_Good job, my son,"_ Urumasa congratulated._ "Instill fear and make him know we will be back."_

"Hey, what are you anyway," Mike yelled his question, since he remembered him from the time Jayden was evil. "Are you a Nighlock?!"

"I am Deker, nothing more, nothing less," he cryptically replied, as his head began to shoot with agony. "Take care of your team, help them and the Pink ranger," he escaped finally.

Mia's eyes ascended to the top. She could no longer see him. Why did care about her so much, yet rescued Dayu when they were about to kill her, sent giant Moogers against them, and now, he had this vendetta against Jayden. Her heart tugged, as if she felt the sadness coming from his body. She chased forward, but he stopped her.

"No," Jayden ordered.

She was about to say something, but the groans from Emily and Kevin forced her to abandon her talk with Jayden. She came to their side, and they were severely injured. She knew they had to head back now.

For a moment, Jayden wanted to run away. With everyone after him, and the way his team was being, he wanted to abandon this life and have Lauren resume her birthright. He was even hesitant to touch his friends again because they were being reckless for him. They didn't deserve him as a leader. His friends needed him though, and that outweighed his need to leave at that moment. He helped all of them get back to the Shiba House.

He'd leave later.

**Xxxxx**

**Later That Night  
Shiba House**

Jayden packed light. He grabbed his black messenger bag from the top of his closet, and he began to stuff it. Two shirts, a couple of pants, boxers, and he grabbed his wallet. He had money in there, and that would hold him over for at least a week. After that, he'll have to think of ways to survive.

He had never been outside of these compounds for more than a day. Well, for personal relief anyways. He had two homes: here and the Tengen Gate. He wasn't going to the Tengen Gate this time. He was going to drown in what the real world was. He really needed time to himself. He wanted to know what it felt like to be normal and not place his friends in danger. Maybe, he could go live with Lauren, wherever she was.

"That's wishful thinking," he chided, berating himself. He slid open his door, and he left to the front. He heard Mentor's stick scuffling the floors, opening random doors, and gaining ground. He moved quicker, yet softly. He crossed over the wooden platform, walked the cement trail, and he stopped by the gate. He longingly looked back at his home. He had some fairly good memories here, and he was sad to leave her behind. He hoped she wouldn't be mad at him, and maybe one day, they could cross paths once more. Maybe, fall in love without being involved with foot soldiers, monsters, and bullshit. Mentor's calls alerted him. "I'm also sorry, Mentor, you never deserved a student like me."

He left and didn't look back.

**Xxxxx**

**The Next Day  
Jayden's Challenge  
Sanzu River**

"Deker, I'm stick and tired of you meddling in my affairs," Master Xandred harshly relayed, his sword against Urumasa. He released the hold, and he gathered a ball of power in his palms. He flung it at Deker, and he watched in satisfaction.

Robtish had snitched Deker interrupted the fight. That caused Master Xandred to pounce on the half human, half Nighlock when he arrived to the demented waters.

_"I'll save you,"_ Urumasa promised, and he summoned all of the power he could to break this behemoth of a hold. Moogers attacked, and he was growing with anger. He penetrated. The clutch of skulls and swirls of conjured magic dissolved.

"HUH," Master Xandred roared in shock and even more in surprise, as he took a very good look at his human form. "You're not Deker..."

All of the eyes surrounding Dayu's body had even grown wide. They examined the man in the waters of the river, bravely speaking to the commander of the Nighlocks, and she couldn't believe this. "Damn you, Urumasa," she cursed with much hurt, sadness and rage. Gone, was her husband, and in came this creature, this human, she had never seen before. In spite of everything, he still rescued her. She needed to get to the bottom of this.

Octoroo watched as well. "Ooh, ah, ooh, it looks like Urumasa found a new container for Deker," he examined, while standing at an opening. "Oh, you want to cry," he sneered, while looking at her. "You shouldn't. He has a new body, not a new mind!" He walked away.

"New body," she repeated curiously, and she walked to sit on a crate.

"Dayu," her leader growled, almost a second after he stepped onto the tattered ship, and summoned a Mooger. "Play your harmonium," he needed to be soothed, and her sad music was the only one to do it besides his sake.

"I-I-I," she was at a loss for words.

"Do it now," he ordered, and the whole ship began to toss and turn like it was caught in a tsunami.

Her thoughts were scrambled at this point, but she knew he would be relentless if she didn't comply. She began to play. The sorrow filled music did them both good actually.

**Xxxxx**

**An Hour Later...  
Shiba House- Medical Bay  
Panorama City, CA**

"Hey, Mia, can you get my sketchpad from my room," Kevin asked. He couldn't sleep any longer with uneasy feelings lingering.

Mia nodded, and she left to get the black item. She quickly returned and gave it to Kevin. "I also brought your pencils too," she smiled. Lately, he's had that black book attached to his hip. She wasn't surprised he didn't want to be without it, even in his current state. "Do you need help eating? We brought you a plate."

He shook his head but glad that the food looked edible. He supposed she didn't cook this morning. "Not right now," he replied. "Thanks anyways," he looked at the sadness that drowned her face. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she lied, and she went to sit at the window, hoping he would return. She picked up her bowl of mixed fruit and began to eat in silence. She hardly slept herself. After Mentor returned from the outside, with a depressed look, she knew. Jayden left the grounds without telling anyone. The guilt he displayed over Kevin and Emily's injuries said so much. She wanted to help him, but he wouldn't let her or anyone else. She was glad she wasn't the Red ranger, as the responsibility was such a burden.

Mike entered the room. "You know, someone told me breakfast is the most important meal of the day," he brightly smiled as he was eating his bowl of fruit and yogurt. His mouth was so happy.

"I told you that," Kevin struggled at first to sit up, but he was able to do so. He winced at the pain but forged on. "I'll eat once I finish this," he opened the book for everyone to see. He had been working on a way to combine the Samurai Battlewing and the Samurai Megazord.

"Last time I had a sick day, I played video games, drank ginger ale, and ate lots of chicken soup," Mike sarcastically admonished. He looked at Kevin like he had two heads, but that _was_ Kevin. Analytical and never stopping his journey as a Samurai. He turned his attention to Mia. "What's with you?"

"Jayden's still not back," she woefully replied.

"Hello, everyone," Ji elatedly greeted, as he came through the doors, tray in hand to collect plates. He made eye contact with Emily first. "Hi, Emily! Hope you're feeling better. Have you finished breakfast?" He began to survey their plates, them, and anything else to occupy and keep his mind busy. He was transparent though. Mike and Mia quickly spoke the truth. "Don't worry, he'll be back. All of us just need to focus on the mission," he calmed their fears, or at least hoped to.

He can sympathize with the rest of the rangers. Just the day before, he wasn't focused himself. He thought back.

(**Flashback**)

_Instead of going to the market like he said, he went a farther distance. He arrived to the location he wasn't supposed to visit. He looked at the house, small, quaint, in the middle of nowhere. The training area surpassed the one at the Shiba House. It was actually twice the size of this cottage style house also. He smelled the fresh pine, and the kurokos' famous stew filtering through the chimney. He smiled softly to himself. _

"_Arch the stroke better," Mentor Yaki firmly commanded, as he looked at his student. She had always struggled at this part. _

"_I'm trying," she flinched, scrunching her face in misery. She was growing tired, and she was hungry too. She didn't mean to be a pain in the butt, but she wanted a break. She held her dad's Samuraizer up—the one with the brush tip, and she exhaled a deep breath. She concentrated deeply, and she felt the drops of sweat form. Two strokes down, three strokes in the middle, arch this one right here, bend this one right there, slash, slash, and the last draw blasted her across the floor. Her hands were covered in black soot._

"_Lauren," Ji shouted, as he ran forward. _

_Mentor Yaki had fire in his eyes alright. Just looking at Ji being there caused his blood pressure to rise. "What the hell are you doing here?!"_

_Lauren began to stir. "Ji, is that you," she questioningly asked, trying to get up so she could see for herself. Yaki rushed to help her._

_Mentor nodded, and he also helped to roll her over. He checked on her. "You were doing a great job," he praised her with a comforting smile._

"_At least someone thinks so," she responded, while blowing a stray tendril of hair out of her face. She took Jayden's teacher's hand, along with her teacher's, and she was upright in no time. "What are you doing here?"_

_"Yes, what are you doing here," Yaki mirrored in an overzealous manner, his finger wagging at Mentor for being present. "You have any idea what you are doing? I swear to God, if they find out she's the **real** 18th Shiba Head, and Master Xandred shows up-" he kept rambling. _

_A kuroko of the house held up a tray for Lauren, smiling to himself. _

"_Yaki," Lauren took the ornately decorated plastic fan from the tray, and she smacked him on the head. She irritably rolled her eyes, and she paid more attention to Ji. She was glad to have another figure around other than her mentor and the kurokos. "Is there something wrong? Is it Jayden?"_

"_I knew that boy couldn't handle his duties. He's not even a Shiba," Yaki interjected suddenly much to the displeasure of Lauren and Ji. His feelings towards Jayden wasn't like before. He worried about him not being able to protect the world. He was surprised he's lasted this long. _

_Her eyes squinted furiously. She grabbed her fan and smacked him on the head three times. "Yaki," she admonished more fiercely this time around. _

_If Ji had his stick, he would've taken a whack or two himself. He never really did like Yaki. They were only cordial towards each other for the sake of the Shiba Family. "No, he's done wonderfully," he defended his prized pupil. "I'm here because I needed to talk to you in private."_

_Lauren's teacher stuck his nose where it didn't need to be stuck. He wanted to listen in to this conversation. _

"_Of course," Lauren nodded eagerly. "Yaki, get some drinks."_

"_Eh," he replied, annoyed with her request. "Kurokos," he summoned. "Drinks!"_

_Exasperated, Jayden's sister looked towards her mentor. "Please, I want privacy," she practically begged. Reluctantly, he agreed. He let the two be. He entered the cottage. She received her drink from the kuroko, the servants of the place, and she smiled gratefully. "Thank you. So, Ji, what's this about," she sipped her water with lemon. _

_Ji gulped his drink down. "Where to start," he began like he had the world on his shoulders. "Not too long ago, a Nighlock turned Jayden evil. He's still reeling from the effects. He found the Tigerzord though. And just today, we found out Master Xandred knows," he finished, as he looked at Lauren._

_Her gentle features changed. "I shouldn't be surprised," she responded indifferently, concentrating her eyes on her drink. She was torn. "Do I need to come back?"_

"_Let's not jump the gun," he replied honestly. He wanted her to resume her position when she was ready, and from the looks of it, she wasn't. "You haven't fully mastered the the seal, so that's a definite no. You stay here."_

"_But Jayden-"_

"_No, he's fine, but it's just, when he was evil, his eyes turned green."_

"_Green," she incredulously repeated. Her mouth gaped at the thought. "What happened to Red?!" She's read a thing or two about their powers._

"_I don't know, but I know he's also worried about you."_

_She softly laughed. "Mentor, I'm fine, and I'm here learning the symbol. What's he worried about?"_

_"I think he's beginning to feel this too much for him," he truthfully replied. "He does march to the beat of his own drum, and he's stubborn. I don't know where get that's from!"_

_"Maybe mom or dad," her smile faltered."Or, his mom, or dad... One of his birth parents must be like that. Stubborn as a mule. Have you told him?"_

"_Don't have the heart to. Each time I get the chance, something comes up like he's too tired, he's depressed over your parent's deaths, he misses you, Moogers pop up, Master Xandred's spiteful blitzes, training a group of rangers... He's definitely taken some definite punches in battle and personally. I can't do that to him."_

_She completely understood. "It wouldn't be fair to let him know he isn't a Shiba," she said. "Have you thought about searching for them?"_

"_I was thinking maybe after the fight was done. There's just way too much going on now," he answered, and then he thought some more. "I admitted the truth about the Sealing Symbol to his team because they were curious, as they wanted to know why their 'leader' was being targeted. I thought they had a right to know."_

"_True, but now that puts even more pressure on my little brother. Don't you think? Just imagine, one of them asks to help Jayden with the symbol or at least see it. What's he going to do then? Make up a fake symbol?! Come on, I'm sure there's a very analytical one on the team," she did agree they had a right to know how Master Xandred has been held at the Sanzu River for such a long time. On the opposite end of spectrum, they're going to expect this symbol to come out of his Samuraizer. _

"_There is. Kevin. Mike's the playful guy; you gotta be on him quite more than the rest. Then, there's Emily, she's taken over for her sick sister, Serena. She's a little mousy, but she keeps everyone cheerful. And then, there's Mia," he laughed right here, once her name came out of his mouth, "she's gentle, has a calming spirit, and well, I think Jayden likes her." _

_The looks between the two didn't go unnoticed. _

"_My little brother has a crush, and I can't be there to tease him," she giggled at the thought. She missed Jayden, and she wondered how he looked like now. She thought his eyes were a little more rounder, manlier, and he's grown to be a handsome gentleman. Not only that, but he's carried this legacy, and he wasn't even supposed to. This plan was going better than she expected. And, as of right now, she wasn't ready to come home. The Sealing Symbol wasn't coming along the way she hoped for. Therefore, her brother needed to still be an impostor. "I don't think you should tell Jayden about him being adopted."_

_Mentor had to take two looks. _

_She affirmed her nod. "He'd be crushed. He's already living a lie, telling him the truth about my parents, or our parents, would cause him to be confused and not want to the Red ranger. He would ultimately abandon this mission, and the rest of rangers would be without a leader. I can't come out of hiding; we all know that."_

"_But, if he finds out now, he'll know. Isn't that better?"_

"_No, not necessarily," she wasn't budging. "Mentor Ji, thank you for everything that you've done for Jayden. You stepped in when he needed a parent, a friend, and any type of guidance. I'm sure he's doing a great job as a Red ranger, but if you take all of that away, then he won't he know **who** he is. That's the thing I wouldn't want for him. Just because he's not my biological brother, doesn't mean I can't look out for him. Please, just don't tell the truth."_

_Mentor simply nodded. He needed reassurance. _

**(End Flashback)**

He shook his head. He thought Daisuke was right that Jayden needed to know the truth, but after speaking to Lauren, the truth was the last thing he needed to hear.

**Xxxxx**

**An Hour Later  
City Waterfront**

Walking the streets of Panorama City at night was different. He weaved in and out of the foot traffic. He ate street food for the first time, watched a movie, and he didn't have to worry about Mentor's orders. Eventually, he paid for a hotel room. That's where he slept last night, if anyone could really call it that. He tossed and turned throughout the night. The little sleep he did get was haunted with images of Master Xandred, his team getting hurt, and the Dove being his saving grace. The mixture was just overwhelming.

He checked out, and he walked to get breakfast. For a moment, he just stared at his greasy sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. It was a far cry from mentor's clean eats, but better than Mia's peanut butter and jelly omelet. He sighed; he was beginning to think this wasn't for him.

As he looked over the rail at the rippling water, gritty sand, and people enjoying their day with no worries, he decided it's still not best to go back. He turned to the playground. He watched the parents, who were checking on their kids or mingling with other parents. Children going up and down the fun based contraption. They climbed up and down the built in steps, slid down the slides, swung on the swings, hopped onto the springy animals, and they all looked like they were having a blast.

He's never been able to do that before.

Suddenly, two kids weren't having much fun.

He saw them, and they were sitting on a bench. He nicely meddled and walked up to them and bent down, since they didn't seem to have a parent. The younger boy was crying his eyes out, while the older girl, who didn't look more than 13, was cradling him back and forth, trying to shush him. He saw what was wrong.

"Shh, shh, oh boy, I shouldn't have let you come down the slide like that," she tried to calm him down. She kept rocking back and forth, while trying to search her purse for anything to calm him down. His arms flailed madly, pushing away snacks and even his favorite white stuffed animal falcon. Her brother was obviously upset.

She sighed, as she remembered her brother went the opposite way on the slide. He decided head down first, and she thought that was okay. Sadly, she was wrong. He came down the long loop. The velocity and speed caused him to literally eat sand. Once he stood up, she saw his bottom lip start to tremble, signaling an attack of tears were about to barrage down. Then he opened his mouth. No sound was coming out, at least not yet. And then, it went, the screeching cries of pain. She immediately scooped him up and checked on him.

"Is he okay," Jayden asked her, peering to look closer. He felt in his bag for a napkin. He offered it.

"He's fine," she just kept stroking her brother's cheek in hopes he would stop crying. The blood was in one spot, not enough skin had broke to allow the crimson liquid to dribble. If it did, then, at least he was wearing a red tee. She paid more attention to her brother than this random guy.

"You can take this," he held up the napkin. She quickly snatched it out of his hand. "Do you want to see something cool," he had a hand in his pocket.

She wanted this guy to buzz off. "Thanks, but look creep," she curtly hissed. "Whatever you want to 'show' me, I'm not interested in. You know you're pretty bold to want to 'show me' something when I have my baby brother in my hands! I know gymnastics, Muay Thai fighting, Karate, jiu-jitsu, taekwondo, and I also know the praying mantis technique thanks to my aunt, so try me," she threatened.

The Red ranger was a little taken aback. "Whoa," he said under his breath. He wasn't sure whether to run or still try to help. He was intrigued though, and her brother was hurt. "Symbol power-" he drew the strokes for a 'band aid'.

She heard the weird low pitched noises, and she looked to the left of her. She was surprised.

"Does your brother like the color red," he politely asked, as he took off the backing. He held up the item for her. He mentally smacked himself. Of course he likes the color it was on his shirt.

"How did you," she took the band aid, and she placed it under her brother's chin. "Thank you," she acknowledged. "Now, how did you-" She looked at him dead in the eye, and his eyes pierced her. They were oddly familiar like she had seen them somewhere before, but she couldn't pinpoint where.

Jayden did look intently at the young lady in front of him because of her eyes as well. Those eyes that were decorated with voluminous eyelashes were like from his dreams. He did a once over of her, hoping he wasn't acting like a pedophile, yet he felt such a strong connection to her. She was wearing a plain white shirt, pink shorts, white tennis shoes, and her caramel colored hair laid straight down.

"Is your brother okay," he was able to find his voice. He looked at the little boy, and he smiled at him as well. The tot had chestnut colored hair with bright hazel eyes.

"Uh," she cleared her throat. "yeah, he should be."

He swung his head around looking to see where their parents were. "Are you guys here by yourself?"

"Just at the park. My brother was getting a bit jumpy in the place my mom is renovating, so she can turn it into another fashion boutique. We came here, so he can run freely," she answered truthfully, as she examined him once more. His gorgeous eyes haunted her, and she still searched for where she's seen them before. "Hey," she called for her brother, who was beginning to climb out of her arms.

The tot waddled over to Jayden and eagerly held his arms up.

Jayden was unsure what to do. His eyebrow was quirked, and he kept the little boy.

She laughed at his naiveness. "He wants you to hold him," she educated, since he didn't seem like he's ever encountered anything like this before. She nodded it was okay.

"Oh," he sheepishly replied, as he propped the kid on his lap. He looked at this kid closely, and he could've sworn they had the same features. He felt the kid's hair, made goofy faces, and he even began to tickle him.

"S-ss-stop," the little toddler squealed in excitement, while joyfully squirming around.

The red ranger, too, had to laugh. He couldn't believe he actually enjoyed this type of company. He was smiling and felt so relaxed. "I like your outfit, kid," he complimented at the red t-shirt, beige shorts, and toddler, red Chuck Taylors. "Oh, and your outfit isn't too bad either," he didn't want to leave the sister out.

"And I like yours," she took a good look. "Red, Blue, and White flannel shirt, jeans, and look," she laughed, "you and my brother have matching shoes!"

"Great minds must think alike then," he warmly smiled at her.

She felt comfortable with him too. He wasn't a creeper, peeper, or johnny todd that wanted to snatch her and her brother up. She actually felt bad for the way she snapped at him earlier. "You know, I'm surprised my little brother is acting that way towards you," she interrupted the fun.

"Why do you say that," Jayden responded, while his eyes were still on the tot. He continued minutely rough housing with him.

"He's usually very shy until he gets to know you. When he first met his other aunts, uncles and cousins, he wasn't this receptive of them," she opened her arms for her brother. He shook his head firmly and snuggled closer into Jayden's side. "See, he really likes you. Usually, he'd jump out of their arms and start crying." She got an opening and tickled her brother, which caused him to laugh more.

"Are they that ugly," he quipped, which caused him to laugh, but her to make a face. He couldn't believe he said that. He hoped to not offend her.

She took it in stride. "No," she answered with her eyes rolled. "You have bad jokes like Uncle Jason."

"Uncle Jason," he repeated like a question. He's never had an uncle or aunt, at least he's never met one. He thought they weren't supposed to be in this life. "Hey, what's your-"

Shrieks and cries filled with terror came their way. Moogers and Robtish spotted Jayden, and they were making their way over. They slashed benches, scared innocent people, and they were eager for revenge. He handed over the tot. Protectively, Jayden stood in front of his youthful acquaintances. He needed to get them out of here, but a Mooger strategically stood in front of each possible exit.

The young boy began to cry once more at the sight of these creatures. His older sister tried to soothe him over.

Jayden summoned his sword. He used his free hands to make them stay behind him. "I'm going to get you out of here," he sincerely promised.

She looked in her purse and took out a snack and his falcon. "Here," she calmed her brother, and now, he paid more attention to the fruit flavored roll than to what was happening. He sucked, tasted, and bit into the heavenly snack. She took up a fighting stance along Jayden.

"What the," he sternly looked at her. "You're a kid and your brother."

"Please, there's more to me than how I look. Plus, you're outnumbered two to one, and there's a monster right there, and he's not exactly oogling you. He looks like he wants to kill you," she described, while speaking like she was a party. "And him," she tilted her head, "he's fine."

Jayden couldn't bear to have her in danger.

"Aww, so you have a new bodyguard now," Robtish sarcastically joked, as he held his sword out. "Out goes Deker, in comes this little girl?!"

"Quiet pal," the pubescent female snapped angrily. "I'm sure those ugly things are bird brained nimrods, and you're just mad because you're not agile and graceful or 'Winged Lord of the Skies'. To be quite honest, you look like bung that exists out of these bird brained idiots!"

"Kid, I don't know who you think you are, but stop," he looked at her like she was crazy. She was definitely egging on the evil, but he couldn't help and laugh at her snippy comment. "Bung," he repeated with a laugh.

"Oh you like that," she wondered with her own laugh.

"Bung," her little brother had a knack for copying words he shouldn't necessarily repeat. He scrounged his sister's purse for more stuff.

"Silence," Robitsh was none too happy with this. "Attack!"

Sophia Anabelle Hart-Oliver was proud to do this. She immediately cartwheeled forward and did a swift roundhouse kick. When another came her way, she grabbed the arm and easily tossed it over her side. She jabbed others with her fists, did low leg sweeps, and she made sure to back flip back to her brother to check on him when she could. "How are you doing," she panted.

"Good," he smiled, as he showed off his red tongue. "More," he laughed.

"You got it, Tristan," she smiled, and she went back to fighting.

Jayden watched in awe. She was one amazing kid. Her moves, mixed with agility and graceful gymnast movements, was an undeniable asset to him. He spun his sword around in a large circle, fighting off the Moogers that were coming at him. He jumped, whirled, blocked, and he made sure to be back up for this little lady. He walked his back to hers. Her back met his. They circled around slowly. "You got some moves on you," he admitted.

"You aren't too shabby," she confessed. "If I had a large sword like yours..."

"Attack," Jayden ordered, as he was bout to grab his disc. He couldn't though, having his sword out was bad enough. He didn't want to expose the truth. "You really need to get out of here," he motioned for the free exit across the way. "I doubt your mom would want you coming back with bruises."

"Oh shi-," she didn't finish her phrase, as she did a one, two punch on a Mooger's face. This was fun, but he was right. Her mom must be worried sick about them. She grasped the handle of her purse and slung it over her shoulder. Then, she grabbed for Tristan. She made a run, holding him closely against her. She took one last look back at her fighting partner. "Good luck, ranger," she whispered, and she ran back to her mom's shop. As she ran, people dressed in Blue, Pink, Green, and Yellow rapidly scampered by. She smiled to herself.

As he watched her, with her brother cradled in her arms, run off, he hoped they were going to make it back to their mom safely. She did an amazing job as a back up, and he hoped to one day encounter her, them, once more. In a platonic way of course. They were a breath of fresh hair and their innocence made this fight worth while, giving him a sense of clarity. In a moment of weakness, a brunt blow came his way. Jayden coarsely shooed against the cement. He was about to be attacked again, but his team, better known as his friends showed up.

They continued the fight, on his behalf, giving him a chance to catch his breath. He heard his team, while they pledged their allegiance to him. Just like his dad said back in the day, _he_ was to lead them. He nodded proudly. He stood on his two feet as the battle droned on. Whatever happened this afternoon was what he desperately needed. Kevin, Mike, Emily, and Mia wanted to fight on his side, under his guidance, and he didn't necessarily have to do this fight alone.

That was his team, not Lauren's.

**Xxxxx**

**A Few Minutes Later  
Hart the Boutique**

"Oh, God," Kim anxiously bit her lip, as she stepped a few feet away from her shop's door. She looked around, and she had been calling her daughter's cell phone. This was her tenth time. "Sophia Anabelle Hart-Oliver, Tristan David Hart-Oliver I swear to God, if anything has happened to the two of you I will never forgive myself," she noticeably panicked. She felt the tears beginning to make their way, and she shut them immediately. Spontaneously walking a few feet up and down her shop helped keep her busy, but that still didn't make her feel any better as a mother.

Tristan hyperactively bounced around the store. He picked up random pieces of shelves, knocked over bottles of soda and water, and decided to play peek-a-boo in the back of the store. Kim was flustered, but with Tommy working at the hotel, covering for Bulk, and her traveling back and forth from Reefside to Panorama City, and other cities, trying to get elements of her newest fashion boutique together, she felt like she hadn't spent time with her children. She opted to take her daughter and son with her, along with help from some friends, as they were involved in this venture too.

Sophia offered to take Tristan to the park. Kim said okay, since the park wasn't too far from the shop. This would give her oldest daughter a taste of responsibility, independence, and trust. Now, she was regretting the decision and beating herself up over it. Kim watched the frantic citizens running around. Curiosity got the best of her, and in the distance, she saw the newest foot soldiers and a horrendous looking monster.

"Kim," a six month pregnant Hayley, who was here to use her computer skills to draw a floor plan for Kim's new store, shouted. She tried to calm Kim down. "They'll be here," she assured.

"What?! What do you mean 'they'll be here'," she asked in heated disbelief. She continued searching out there for her children. "The park is not even that far, and they're nowhere to be seen. What if the monster has gotten her?!"

"Sophia is with Tristan. You do know that, right?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Hayley looked at her with that 'are you stupid' look. "She can handle herself. Just because she's 12 years old, doesn't mean she can't defend herself against those idiotic, walking things."

"Those things look rather creepy," she countered as a matter of fact.

"What would they want with a 12 year old," Hayley questioned boldly, and she sighed. "You, Tommy, and the rest of the gang, plus newcomers have trained her in so many different styles of martial arts, and with her gymnast skills, she can take anyone down. We've seen her strength, we know she's a Ninjetti, and she's proven to be a force."

"Just because she's sparred with her cousins, various aunts and uncles, and simulated Putties, Z-Putties, Tengas, and Quantrons, doesn't mean she's ready for this," she pointed out with such worry. This was as real as it could get. "What if they take her because they know she's a Ninjetti?!"

"I doubt it," Hayley didn't see the logic. "Didn't Bulk tell Tommy that this is the home of the Samurai Rangers? Why would they want a Ninjetti?"

Sophia quickly ran up, still carrying Tristan firmly in her arms. She was sweaty, had dirt in random patches on her face, but her lips were curled into a definite smile. "Mom, Aunt Hayley," she shouted for their attention. She panted, as she scrolled up to them. "Shouldn't you guys be in the shop taking cover," she nonchalantly questioned.

"SOPHIA ANABELLE HART-OLIVER, TRISTAN DAVID HART-OLIVER, don't ever scare me like that," she immediately encased her daughter and son in a big embrace and protectively ushered them back to the store. Hayley followed. Kim locked the door to keep them safe. They all watched the battle. Large shadows cascaded over their bodies, as the monster, 20 times its regular size, and a Megazord fought. "Oh my God," she couldn't believe she was witnessing this. It was one thing to be behind the wheel, it was another to watch.

"Pretty cool, huh," Sophia watched in amazement. She let her little brother walk around the store, so she could give her arms a rest. "They're amazing!"

"Well, isn't that fancy," Hayley muttered cynically with arms crossed. "Still not better than what I came up with."

As Robtish was finally defeated with the Samurai Battlewing Megazord, Kim faced her daughter with pink colored eyes. She was very upset. Sophia knew her mom was serious. "WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU? The reason you have a cell phone is so we can get in touch with you. What took you so long? Didn't you see the same things we saw!? You should've rushed your little behind back to the store. Not to mention, you had Tristan with you!"

"Auntie Hayley," Tristan tugged on her black dress. "What does..."

"Oh, Tristan," Hayley covered his mouth immediately. "Not right now."

Sophia's eyes altered too. They were green. "Mom," she complained. "You're overreacting! If you saw how I was out there, you would've been so proud," she promised.

"Oh boy," the soon to be mom knew what Tommy and Kim's daughter meant, and she nervously glanced between them. Not to mention, the sudden eye change signaled this was going to get ugly. She scooped up Tristan, who seemed to be entranced by his white falcon and wanting to know what 'hell' meant, and discreetly walked out of the store.

Ethan and Trent were running back to Kim's newest venture. Ethan was here to set up the advanced security system, while Trent was going to paint 3-D images on every wall. They went to get everyone something to eat for everyone-1h6y and were on their way back, but they, too, had to take cover and were captivated by the fight.

"We got... food," Ethan held up a bag with a confused look on his face at seeing the two walk out.

"Did we miss-" Trent couldn't even finish his question. His head cocked to the right and saw the glares coming from Kim and Sophia. "Oh shit!"

"Shit," Tristan repeated with an innocent smile. He quickly snuggled in Hayley's arms.

Now, Hayley had to glare. She immediately covered Tristan's eyes, like that was going to fix what was just said. "You two, over there," she hissed. "Trent, I got my eyes and ears on you!"

"What?! It's not my fault they do that freaky thing with their eyes," Trent immaturely stomped his foot and followed Hayley. "This must be pregnancy hormones or something." He was slapped upside the head. "Ow!"

"Oh, I didn't even hit you that hard," Hayley murmured with exasperation.

Ethan snickered. "Can we still eat?" He, too, got a taste of Hayley's hand smack. "Ouch! What the hell did I do?!"

"Hell," Tommy and Kim's youngest child repeated unknowingly. "Hell, hell, hell," he loved learning new words.

"ETHAN, TRENT," Hayley yelled angrily, as she ushered them to a table that wasn't destroyed.

Meanwhile, in the shop, issues between Kim and Sophia had somewhat settled. Their eyes reverted back to normal hues, as they noticed several people passed by with concerned looks. Kim was just worried, plain and simple, and she reacted like any other parent would in this situation. In Sophia's point of view, she protected her brother and herself, and she's fine.

"I'm here, aren't I? Tristan is safe, isn't he," Sophia gave her mom attitude.

"That's not the point," Kim countered. She looked at Sophia, her daughter, her babygirl, her dove, and she didn't want to fight about this. She was here, Tristan was safe, not traumatized, and that did matter. She could underestimate her daughter because her daughter would do anything in the world to make sure her family stayed safe. "Leave the fighting up to the Power Rangers. You aren't a Power Ranger. You are my daughter, who's only 12, and you have other things to concern your time with."

"I'm just two and half years shy from when you and dad became Power Rangers, and then, there's Justin. He became a ranger at 13. I thought dad was the one with memory problems, not you," Sophia earnestly looked at her mom. "Is there more to this? Are you stressed? Do you need a break," her mom had to be in her opinion. "Are you worried that we could've been taken because of the power that's been given to us? Or," she stopped right here because she knew this would bother her mom even more. "Is it Jayden?"

Kim stared at her daughter with sadness. Tommy explained to Kim he told their daughter the whole story about giving their first child up for adoption. At first, Sophia was upset to not have known this, but her dad justified the reasons. Overtime, Sophia's accepted that somewhere, out there, she did have an older brother, and just like everyone else, she wanted to meet him, ask questions, and hope he wasn't upset over the truth.

"Sweetie," Kim addressed her daughter. "I'll always worry about Jayden. I ask all your dad if that was the best decision we made, and he says 'yes'. I know better. I wish we didn't give him up. I hope he doesn't hate me, whenever we meet."

"So, you're worried about us somehow being taken or never coming back, but mom, understand you did what was best at the time. I'll never be taken and neither will Tristan. That's the last thing will happen," she went up and hugged her mom strongly. She felt her mom's tears. It's clearly obvious her mom has thought about her older brother more than necessary. "We'll find him, and he won't hate you. Your a great mom, and I'm sure you'd be worried like this about him too."

Sophia's mom simply nodded. "So, what were those bird brained nimrods like," she had to ask.

"Piece of cake; they weren't very smart to be honest, and well, someone was there to help," she revealed, as she thought back to the nice guy at the park. "I think he's a-"

"Ranger," Kim incredulously finished. Sophia eagerly nodded. "How do you know?"

"Well, he wore a lot of Red," she answered with a laugh. "And, then, there was that massive sword, and the way he made a band aid appear so suddenly... oops," she covered her move.

"Why was a band aid needed," Kim asked. Her eyes flickered. "Sophia..."

"Aw, mom," Sophia rolled her eyes.

Eventually, Kim found out the reason, and she was fine, a little upset, but fine. Tristan was sort of a daredevil. The rest of their company made their way back in the store, once they saw everything was clear. In three hours, they were back on the road. While going back to Reefside, Sophia thought about her brush encounter with the guy in Red. She couldn't wait until the Samurai Rangers retired, so another reunion could happen, and she could spar with him and see his cool 'phone' trick.


	14. Chapter 14- The Job

**Episodes: '**The Blue and The Gold' to 'Boxed In'

**Chapter 14- The Job**

**Xxxxx**

**The Blue and Gold  
Sanzu River**

Master Xandred's interest was piqued.

He overheard _her._ She was playing her prized harmonium, a possession from her human life that she retained as a cherished keepsake, and making angst and heart wrenching filled music that could make any human being cry. Instead, this served as medicine for when he was angered, his plans against the Power Rangers were foiled, or a way to further stake his claim on her.

Octoroo, the brains behind him, was shuffling delicately, as he didn't want a tongue lashing or possible abuse. He kept his eyes open vertically and wide horizontally. He wasn't going to disclose the happenings aboard this ship, though he knew. Dayu was the object of Master Xandred's affection. That was none of his business, and Master Xandred never admitted his infatuation with Dayu, as that would distract them from their true goal, and she has never let go of her one and true love. From what the brains behind this operation has seen, the true Deker wasn't coming back.. He left to assist Antberry with next plan of attack—using Antberry's slime to steal toys and make children cry.

With sorrow, Dayu plucked the strings producing this tune that helped to alleviate her master's burgeoning headache. She continued to play, until she couldn't anymore. She's never wanted this life, but she knew there was no other way to save her newlywed husband and the bastard she called her father in law. With whatever heart she still had, she blamed all of her indignity and this cursed form on him. She actually regretted this decision, and one day, she'd get her hands on him and kill him herself.

"Dayu, why have you stopped playing," Master Xandred asked, as he came around the corner.

"Stopped playing, stopped playing, stopped playing," the Furry Warts chirped annoyingly.

Growling, Master Xandred grasped one ball covered with yellow hair and easily demolished the thing. Every other one retracted to the top of the ship, each strand of hair on its body pointed straight up in fright. He domineeringly sauntered over to her, and he used a long index finger's nail, which actually resembled a vulture's talon, and he made her rise her head. He looked at the beauty that he's always known she's had. If he could breathe, he knew that air would be caught in his throat.

"My fingers are tired," her human side replied dishonestly. The truth was: not too long ago she finally got a chance to speak to Deker, if he could even be called that. Of course, she could never confess that to the king of Nighlocks. She subtly looked into the brightness of this demon, who took her in, wondering if he used to be human like her. There wasn't a hint of soul, unless the soul contained pure hatred only. "Can I take a break? Do you need me to play some more?"

"The prominent melody," he requested, almost wanting to vomit. She wreaked of _him_, and he waited for her to speak the truth of her treachery. "Why is your music different?"

"Uh, um," she began to stutter, not wanting to say, while having a mini flashback. That would upset him to his core even more.

"Play the requested melody," he gravely ordered, releasing her head freely. "Don't even think about it," he sensed the Furry Warts were ready to descend. He wasn't even sure how these damn things came onto the ship. He turned; he wasn't going to hurt her, at least not yet. "Consult me before you see _him_ by yourself." He finally walked away, furiously demanding a Mooger give him sake.

She whimpered, and once he was out of sight, she played the dreadful music to his liking. She desperately wished to get out of there, even if she had to reclaim some sanity by speaking to that retainer.

**Xxxxx**

**Team Spirit  
Shiba House- Living Room**

Mia received the text message. The rest of the house was ready for Emily's birthday. Her smile could illuminate a Christmas Tree that's how happy she was. After the day her best friend had, this would be the perfect ending and a birthday to remember. She was also positive the men of the house did a wonderful job.

"Emily, you need to come to the living room," Mia relayed fervently, and she held out her hand for Emily to take.

The Yellow ranger quizzically observed Mia's offered hand. All she wanted was rest. Her spirit was given back to her about two hours ago, and everyone has relentlessly asked if she was alright. Of course she was because they defeated Splitface with ease thanks to the newest addition, the Clawzord. "Mia, I don't know if I'm up for anything as of right now," Emily replied sleepily and a bit warily. "Maybe, tomorrow."

"Oh, come on," Mia wasn't taking no for an answer. She nodded that everything was going to be okay.

Emily obliged, and they zoomed out of their quarters. She felt the anxious tugs from her best friend. "Mia, what's up? I'm fine now."

"I know, but you're about to get even better," Mia promised, and she led her to the living room where the rest of the guys plus Mentor were waiting for her.

"What is all of this," the Yellow ranger's face brightened instantly upon seeing the yellow, black, and white decorations, gold streamers, a table full of presents, another table topped with delicious food, and a 'happy birthday, Emily' banner. She looked around in surprise, yet immense happiness that they went through all this trouble just for her.

"Surprise," the guys exclaimed, jumping from each side, and showering her with gold confetti.

Emily blushed and couldn't believe she didn't have the slightest clue. On the other hand, she couldn't see any other people to spend her 18th birthday with.

Mike nervously broke away from the group and approached Emily. Earlier in the day, he was vastly worried about the Yellow ranger, and he was even thinking about giving up his human life and entering the Sanzu River just to secure hers. She was the best of them, in his opinion, and he cared about her so much already. The way she looked on the cot, the blood no longer fueling circulation, and the paleness of her caused him great distress. And now, he was beyond happy to see her like this—overfilled with glee.

"Here," the Green ranger handed her a specialized greeting card. "It's from your sister."

Mentor stood in the back with an emotion filled smile. He received the card, while Emily was still under Splitface's spell. The touching card actually brought a tear to his eye. He wasn't one for being in touch with his emotions, but lately he has. To see her lifeless, her 18th birthday being today, and seeing the birthday card, it was quite too much for him. Before the party started, he handed the birthday card to Mike, so he could hand it off.

The looks between Mike and Emily didn't go unnoticed.

Emily wanted to cry upon receiving the card. The front displayed a picture of her and Serena from when they were younger and enjoying the sun setting at the beach. She opened the card. "'Happy Birthday my darling sister! Miss you heaps... All my love, Serena,'" she read for everyone.

Antonio took it upon himself to introduce Emily to the cake. He placed his hand over her eyes. "And, what's a birthday without a cake," he led her to a chair.

Mentor gently took the giant, circular cake with yellow icing and multicolored decorations off the food table. He brought it to the present table. "Happy Birthday," he sincerely wished.

The cake read, 'Happy Birthday Emily and Clawzord!'.

Kevin, from his position, bent his head a bit to get a better look at the cake. At first, he thought he read the silver icing wrong. "Clawzord," he said aloud with some confusion in his tone.

Antonio was quickly appointed to get the birthday cake, so Mia couldn't bake one. After the battle, he returned to the bakery to pick it up, but he felt something was missing and requested an extra name be added to the traditional dessert on one's birthday. He just wanted to commemorate Clawzord's awakening. "It's his birthday too." He pointed to the zord, who overheard and peeked out of its container and peeped nosily.

Everyone else ended up loving the idea too and began to laugh.

"You guys are the best," she graciously complimented them with her big heart and an even bigger grin.

"No, Mike was right," Jayden interjected with some kinds words. _"You're_ the best."

"We're just so happy to see you're okay," Mike added, as he looked at her with admiration, and he saw her blush once more. His cheeks became a rosy hue too.

Mia picked up the lone knife on the table. "Who wants cake," she asked.

"Oh, ah, you baked me a cake," Emily nervously wondered, hoping Mia really didn't do such a thing.

"No, sorry," Mia believed Emily was just as disappointed as she was. She did want to make the birthday cake for her, since it would've been special to have a homemade one instead. The guys convinced her not to do so because Antonio already ordered one for her. "We picked up this cake at the bakery."

Greatly relieved, Emily calmed down. "I understand, you were busy," she quickly figured, which caused everyone else in the room to toss knowing glances and thankful nods. "Let's dig in!"

"Blow out your candles," Kevin eagerly wished over everyone else.

"Make a wish first," Mia reminded her, since that was usually the first thing to do.

Antonio grabbed a present for Emily to open. "Here, Em, open this one first," he handed it over to her, while smiling. She was the first one to welcome him to the team, which he thought was pretty cool of her.

When Antonio Garcia, Gold Samurai ranger, first came back to Panorama City, his appearance was slightly less than well received. First of all, he shot an arrow over the protective barrier of the Shiba House. Secondly, when confronted by the rangers minus Jayden, he caused crushed ice to fall and made them slip, so they wouldn't obstruct his _golden_ moment. Finally, he arrogantly yet courageously interrupted the fight with Vulpes—a Nighlock with mirror spells.

The Samurai rangers thought this was some random guy, who wanted to cause havoc and make the the fight even worse than what it was. Yet, once morphed, his Barracuda Blade literally gutted Moogers and even paralyzed Vulpes. When he commanded the Octozord, his Octo-Ink Cloud helped the rangers destroy him. Jayden was the only one to recognize the weapon and Zord. He was stunned to see them appear once more. In the midst of the curious questions, the Red ranger powered down and welcomed Antonio back. They hadn't seen each other in about a decade. Their time spent together gave Jayden a little taste of a childhood. Antonio had to move due to his dad acquiring a permanent job as a top sushi chef in a prestigious hotel. As a going away present, Jayden gave him the Octozord.

Anotonio was the first Gold Samurai ranger ever, and he wasn't the average Samurai ranger too. While his counterparts used Symbol Power via their Samuraizers, he programmed his power with electronic symbols in the form of text messages. He worked daily on perfecting this, along with training in martial arts. He decided to come back to Panorama City because of the recent attacks and to build his own business empire. He only wanted to help.

He really did butt heads with Kevin, who was very strict about this lifestyle, and Mentor, who believed he was given the Zord by mistake. Even for a moment, Jayden was even reluctant to have him on the team, but he was coaxed by everyone else. And now, the gaudy Antonio Garcia was very much accepted. Kevin understood that anyone could be a Samurai, and Mentor trusted him to program Clawzord, which was an obvious success.

Now, the Gold ranger was seen as a valuable asset.

Emily was wowed by all the presents. Mia and Mentor bought her a jade, flute holder, Jayden gave her a box of her favorite chocolates, Kevin purchased an annual pass for Rainbow's End, and Antonio paid for a gift card to a local store and also bought her a yellow, babydoll shirt. Mike had a present for her, but he didn't want anyone but Emily to see it.

The rangers began to eat the array of delectable delights. There even was made from scratch lemonade, Shirley Temples, and fruit punch. Everyone was having a great time and the day's horrible events disappeared.

When he saw she was free, Mike whispered into Emily's ear. "Take a walk with me outside," he requested. She quickly nodded and placed her plate of food on the table. She trailed Mike. He appeared to be going to the training yard. Mike also made sure to have the light switch flipped upward.

Their departure was obviously seen by everyone else.

"Mentor, is that okay," Kevin questioned, since he knew the rules, while looking over his shoulder. He watched them head outside. Mike already confessed to him about his little crush on Emily, but Kevin always reminded him that's not something Mentor would like.

"Yeah, I don't see any harm," Ji replied truthfully. He also believed Mike was a little ashamed of his gift, but he shouldn't have anything to worry about. "Oh, crudites," he changed the subject quickly and grabbed a few cherry tomatoes.

Mia smiled and clued Antonio in. "Mentor said there's no fraternization amongst the rangers, but as you can see, Mike and Emily have a lot of chemistry. It would be hard for them to upkeep that rule," she disclosed, as she took a sip of her drink.

Antonio finished his bite of cake. "Senorita," he smoothly began, "they're not the only ones." He chose to remain ambiguous about his statement, but there was another budding romance in this house. Somebody would have to be blind to not see it. He believed Mia was smart in the books, but clueless when it came to love.

"Huh," Mia asked, as she watched Antonio walk to the table to get more food. He, then, struck up a conversation with Kevin.

After departing from Ji's side, he saw Mia alone, thinking to herself. "Is this seat taken," Jayden questioned her. She shook her head. "I'll sit here then."

"There's other seats, you know," she pointed out around a bite of chips and dip. Her cheeks quickly flushed upon seeing him. Lately, there wasn't a day where she didn't blush around him. She smiled to herself about it.

"Yes, but they're not this close to you," the Red ranger boldly opposed. "I like being close to you." He actually needed to talk to her about something, but eyes seemed to be everywhere.

"Me too," she agreed, and she scooted closer to his right side. She wondered if this was what Antonio was hinting to. She spoke to him privately.

Meanwhile, outside, Mike wasn't sure how to give this gift to Emily. He was nervous, which was hardly a characteristic of him, but the present was out of the ordinary. Unlike the others, he was pretty careless when it came to money. So, as of right now, his bank account was sitting pretty low. He didn't even have a lot of time to figure out what to get her.

"Mike," Emily wondered why he seemed to be stalling. She looked even smaller standing next to him, but she didn't care.

"Um, here," he took out a homemade and haphazardly put together booklet from his pocket. He watched her flip through the 'coupon book', each page turn with no comment made his heart chip a bit. "Oh, no, you hate it," he wanted to slap himself for making this.

"No... that's far from the truth," she shook her head adamantly. The 'coupons' were cute, and there were about twenty of them for various things: a free skateboarding lesson, a walk around the beach, a cup of frozen yogurt on the house, one home cooked meal of her choice, a trip to the arcade and others. She couldn't believe Mike actually came up with this. It was cute, quirky, and something she'd treasure. "I-I don't know what to say. It's pretty creative."

"So... you do like it," he asked inquisitively, admiring how the light hit her features just right.

"I love it," she responded, as she lovingly wrapped her arms around his neck. He reciprocated swiftly, and she stayed in his arms for some time. This was extremely relaxing to her. "Thank you," she acknowledged honestly. "I've never been given anything like this."

"Hey," he finally opened his mouth. This felt right to him too. She felt great in his burly arms. "You deserve it, but..." He knew Kevin would rag on him later.

"But what," she didn't want this to end, and she looked up to him concerned. "Mike, is there something wrong?"

"No, not at all. I actually wish we could stay like this for the rest of the night, but Mentor and the rules. I think we should head back inside before the SWAT Team shows up. I'm already sure Kevin's wondering what's happened," he dreadfully responded, hating to do this.

All Emily could do was nod. She agreed, but it still didn't make her feel better. "Alright, thanks for my gift," she said again, and she stepped in first. She headed to the living room, and she saw Mentor cleaning, Kevin and Antonio talking, and Mia and Jayden sitting awfully close. She returned to eating. "This was an amazing birthday," she said to them. "Thank you."

Mentor was the first to speak. "You're welcome, and I'm glad you're on this team. When you took your sister's spot, that was very amicable. I wouldn't see it any other way," he continued picking up the stray trash.

"And of course you've become like a sister to me," Mia beamed, "Without you, I don't think I would be able to survive," she playfully quipped.

Mike didn't like that comment. "What's that supposed to mean, huh," he questioned with an eyebrow raised. "If anything, we wouldn't know how to survive with your-" His green eyes hardened at the Gold ranger.

Antonio silenced Mike from making a fool out of himself. He glared at the Green ranger and turned his attention to Emily. "You're golden," he happily pointed at her. "Thank you for accepting me into this team so quickly."

"You are an amazing Yellow," Kevin commented genuinely, wanting to slap Mike across the face. He obviously didn't.

The rangers grabbed their cups filled with a drink. They rose their glasses midway.

"To Emily," Jayden dedicated the toast, while warmly smiling at her.

"To Emily," the rangers chorused, and they clanked their cups together.

Pretty soon, the birthday party was coming to an end. Emily was able to sneak off to bed first. Since she was still the birthday girl, Mentor excused her from cleaning. The rest of the rangers helped Mentor and in no time at all, the house was once again spotless. Antonio said bye to everyone. Currently, he lived in an apartment in downtown. Mentor left to his room, the next to retreat was Mia, followed by Kevin, Mike, and eventually Jayden turned off everything in the house.

There was a practice session in the morning.

**Xxxxx**

**Two Hours Later  
Jayden's Room**

He awoke, his face sweaty, his breathing in duress, and he looked at the time. It was 1:43 AM, but he couldn't go back to bed. He didn't feel like he could. The dreams were happening again, but this time, they seemed be more like nightmares. He always seemed to wake at the part when his sister was about to get slaughtered. At least, he thought it was his sister. He heard intense streaks coming from a female, a female calling his name in a chilling manner, and he saw long hair flowing in the sea of rage. The only thing clear was a reddened monster with armor, wielding a large saber hovering.

He closed his eyes, trying to forget the images. They were quite hard to digest. He sent a quick text message to Mia because he believed he could open up to her. He hoped she wasn't in a deep sleep. In a few minutes, he received a surprising reply. He waited.

She gently knocked on his door. She groggily yawned and looked at him with confusion, once he opened it for her. "What's going on," she lowly whispered, while tip toeing inside. She hoped no one heard her coming here.

Jayden helped her inside of his room. He climbed onto his bed and patted for her to sit next to him. "It's okay," he told her, although, he was kind of nervous to have her on his bed. All she was wearing was a spaghetti strap and very, very short shorts. It was summer time, and the air conditioner could only do so much; he thought.

She thought she was dreaming. "Are you sure," she asked curiously. She surveyed Jayden's room. She had never been here before. There wasn't much in there, but a closet, a nightstand, and a desk. The walls were pretty bare minus traditional Japanese paintings. Looking at Jayden, she saw he was only wearing a red, wife beater and black basketball shorts.

"As a heart attack," he answered earnestly, as he cleared the spot for her to lie. Once she was on top of his bed, he grabbed the covers and secured it over them. "Are you comfortable?"

"Yeah," she answered. She felt a slight shiver go up her spine upon brushing her leg against his. "Um..."

"It's okay. I just wanted to talk about... these dreams I've been having,'' he started.

"I'm listening."

And, he told her about the dreams in full. He also explained how he felt a connection to the sole survivor from the island explosion all those years ago. He spoke for about an hour. He also described how he wanted them to stop, then he missed them, and now, he was wanting them to go away because they were slowly turning into these nightmares.

Mia listened. She let him talk, and she didn't even interrupt at all. She really was there, if that's what he wanted, to help him.

"I don't know what to make of them. The Lion, the Dove, and now this, um..." he couldn't exactly say his sister was coming into his dreams, so he made a up a lie, "and Master Xandred wanting to kill me... Some of the dreams I like; others I believe are omens and I want them to stop."

"Do you think that 'red monster' could possibly be Deker," she asked, caressing his soaked, ash, blonde hair. She never knew about this until now. The ones lately seemed to mess with his psyche. He was vulnerable, looked worn down, and she hoped he would snap out of it.

He yawned, while listening to the rhythmic thumps of her heart beating. She felt comfy, and he was actually relaxed for the first time in awhile. He continued laying against her chest and smelling her delicate perfume. He knew she was the right person to admit these to. "I never thought that could be him," he answered, while dozing off.

She giggled, as she heard him snoring. "Jayden," she called for him. "Wake up," she thought she was here to talk, listen about these dreams and offer advice. She didn't want to be his pillow.

"Uh, yeah, you're right, Mia," he rambled lazily, while cuddling with her.

"If we get caught," she warned him, but she felt herself finding a comfortable position too. She didn't want to leave either, and she would only do so if he told her to.

"We won't. Goodnight, Mia," he wished, and he sensed her arms fully wrap around his body. He smiled and protectively cradled her. This was wrong, but felt so right. Pretty soon, the two fell asleep.

Just that easily.

**Xxxxx**

**The Tengen Gate  
Downtown Panorama City  
Hart the Boutique**

"Beautiful, where do you want your lunch," Tommy held up her smoothie and hot bagged food for her. He saw the hustle and bustle. The store was coming along great, but he could see she was getting tired and teetering on fine edge.

"No, no, no. I want white and pink roses for the grand opening party," she argued over the phone, getting very angry. She pointed to the counter that would house the cash register. She kissed her husband on the lips, and she was thankful he was there. "Do I need to go to another florist? I will be perfectly happy with that, and I will make sure they will have the roses I want!"

Leo Corbett, former Red Galaxy ranger, overheard from his spot. He had been helping Kim get this place together. He walked away from his task of making extra shelves and went straight to Tommy, who was wiping down the back of his neck with some force. "Sheesh, does she always get like this," he asked.

Tommy wanted to strangle Leo. "What do you think," he questioned dangerously. "If she got mad about us heading to the Moon, and this place is like her baby, of course she wants everything to go right," he hissed heatedly.

Leo placed his hands in the air. "I never wanted to do the moon battle anyways," he swore on his family's life. "It's your fault you got caught. You and Andros got caught. It's your guys' fault," he hissed.

Rocky, Jason''s successor, Ape Ninjetti, past Blue Zeo ranger, overheard and hoisted himself up from his spot. "You never wanted to do it?! I never got to do it," he reminded them gruffly.

"Is it our fault Aisha went into labor," Tommy signaled for Rocky to keep it calm. Not everyone in the shop, as of that moment, was a past ranger. A majority of them were from a building company. He had to keep their talks as discreet as possible, but with an over zealous Rocky and Leo, he knew it would be easier said than done.

"Let me keep a mental note, since I know _you_ will always forget," Rocky snapped, while failing to remain private. "Note to self, make sure to get my wife pregnant possibly ten months before a mission comes up."

TJ, second Red Turbo ranger and past Blue In Space ranger, hauled in a few plywood boards. He noticed Rocky, Tommy and Leo speaking privately. "If I were you three, I'd get straight to work," he knew Kim's wrath and powers. "She's already stressed as it is, and if she sees us just standing around, we might as well shoot ourselves in the foot!"

Kim immediately ended the phone call. She blew out a hot breath. She looked around the place. "Um, TJ, what are you doing," she instantly glared at him just standing there. Her hands were firmly planted on her hips, and she swore she would spar with him right then and there.

"What," TJ questioned, shocked that she was singling him out. "I just brought these in..."

"Those were supposed to be here an hour ago," she complained exasperatedly. There were about fifteen other people in this place, and she wanted to fire them all. She was beginning to feel the pressure of making another store.

"It's not my fault traffic to here is such a bitch," Cassie's husband muttered with frustration, and he headed to the back to start building all the cupboards Kim's wanted. He felt he'd be safer back there with a nail gun and hot glue.

Tommy, Rocky and Leo snickered upon hearing Kim.

"Leonard 'Leo' Marty Corbett, I will call your wife, Kendrix, and tell her about your random rendezvous at the strip clubs. Just because she's pregnant doesn't mean she isn't sexy! And to top it off, I will throw you over a rail and make you eat dirt, if you don't get back to work," Kim threatened with malice.

"Shit," Leo followed her command and went back to his assigned task.

"And, oh, Rockford 'Rocky' Luis DeSantos, don't get me started on you. I can call Aisha, and she'll be here before you can take a shit," was all Kim had to say before Mr. DeSantos jumped and returned to work.

"Anyone else want to try me," she asked the workers, who all began to whistle suddenly. They continued with their jobs. "That's what I thought."

Dr. Oliver, as his students called him, waltzed up to his wife. He wrapped his arms around her, and she instantly softened at his touch. "You need a break," he began to rub soothing circles on her back. "How about we take one, huh? I'll get Hayley and Billy to take over for you, I'll send Sophia and Tristan to Jase and Trini's, and we can go to the Bahamas," he offered, while keeping her close to him.

She loved the idea. "Oh, that sounds nice," she practically purred upon feeling his rough hands go and up and down her back.

"Great, I'll set it up now," he thought that was almost too easy, but he wasn't going to say anything.

Kim's phone rang. She answered after the first cheep. "Hello," she greeted. On the phone was her mom, Charlotte, who was in town with her husband, Pierre, for a showing at the Getty Museum. While in town, she wanted her grandchildren, which Kim and Tommy were very thankful for the helping hand. "Tristan has diarrhea," she almost screamed in frustration. "Oh, come on, now!" She wondered what else God was trying to throw at her. She walked off to speak in privacy.

Tommy rubbed his temples very slowly. He knew his wife like the back of his hand. She didn't the trip after all.

The door to the place opened. In walked a Hispanic kid with his rolling, blue, round edged cooler, fishing poles tucked in, upright, and different fishes decorating the outside, along with the large Shiba crest. He browsed the inside, and he saw the workers diligently getting this place together. It was a far cry from when he first saw this place. He looked around for the owner, since he had an appointment with her.

While passing out flyers, he actually gave one to Kimberly Ann Hart-Oliver, and they struck up a casual conversation. She spoke of how she wanted her opening to be, and well, Antonio offered his services. She had to quirk an eyebrow because he didn't have a restaurant or a cart even, so she wanted him to come by one day and cook for her.

"Who's the kid," Rocky pointed with his elbow, while leaning into Leo.

Leo shrugged. "I don't know. Never seen him before, but what's in the cooler? I hope it's food. Kim's bitch over here," he pointed gingerly at Tommy, "only seemed to buy food for her." Tommy shoved his middle finger up in the air. "I believe my wife handles that!"

The Ape's stomach began to rumble like there was a fight going on in there. He was extremely hungry, and he hoped this guy did have food.

"Excuse me," Antonio tapped Tommy on the shoulder. Tommy turned and gave the fisherman a once over. "Is Kimberly Oliver here?"

"She's on the phone," Tommy replied, and he held out his hand. "I'm Dr. Thomas Oliver. Kim is my wife. You can call me Dr. Oliver though."

"Fantastico! It's wonderful to meet you Dr. Oliver. I am Antonio Garcia," he mentioned with his arms flailing everywhere in a flashy way. "Call me Antonio if you want."

"I believe that I would," Kim's husband dryly replied, just a tad bit puzzled by him. "What do you need to talk to my wife about?"

"The catering for the opening. I want to show her I can handle the job," the Gold ranger eagerly answered, unknown he was in the presence of past rangers.

"Do you happen to have a sample of what you can cook," Rocky impatiently interrupted. "I'm starving over here!"

"Of course! There's this baby barracuda fish kebobs recipe I've been meaning to try," Antonio kissed his fingers to show how tasty they were going to be.

Aisha's husband didn't like that sound of that. "How about less baby-ish, more delicious," he was elbowed in the stomach by Leo. "What's that for?!"

Leo rolled his eyes. "Give the kid a chance," he stuck up for Antonio. "I'm sure whatever you cook, will be great," he was being supportive.

Kim got off the phone with her mom. She authorized for her mom to take Tristan to a local hospital, and she also mentioned they'd be home in an hour or so. She returned to Tommy's side, and she met with Antonio.

"Oh, my goodness. I almost forgot about our meeting," she quickly gave him a welcoming hug.

"Mrs. Oliver, it's quite alright. I almost forgot too," he muttered, since he's been consumed with fighting evil and trying to assimilate into the Samurai way of living. He blew out a breath. "Can I cook for you?"

"Of course, of course," she eagerly responded, and she looked at the stuff he was carrying. "Is it already cooked, or..."

"Come outside, and I'll show you," he accompanied her to his makeshift table and mini barbecue. "I've learned from my dad it's petty easy to cook on the go," he explained, while beginning to fry some tilapia. He also began to mold raw fish, fresh vegetables, sticky rice, and seaweed together for several rolls of sushi. As far as the baby barracuda fish kebobs were concerned, he'd save those for the other _fisherman._ He also incorporated several jazzy tricks for his 'audition'. He made sure to keep it interesting for her.

With joy, the Crane watched. He was amazing, and she could definitely see him at her opening. She received her plate of food. "Antonio," she called, her mouth erupting in hapiness, "this food is amazing. I want to hire you as one of my caterers," she grabbed for another piece of sushi and popped it into her mouth. Again, her eyes rolled into the back of her head in delight.

He bowed, accepting his job. "Thank you, thank you," he graciously acknowledged with a brighter smile.

"I can't wait. Everyone is going to talk about your good eats. Are there gonna be others with you? You know, to help."

Antonio pondered. "Yeah, I can think of a few," he answered, as he tried to think of a way to make sure Mia doesn't get a hold of a knife. "They'll be with me."

"Wonderful... Are you currently working? If you aren't, I have connections and can get you to work with a very reputable sushi chef. He could definitely use someone like you," she thought of Chad Lee, past Blue Lightspeed ranger. He recently became a Benihanas franchise owner.

"Mrs. Oliver, that's very kind of you, but right now I'm extremely busy. Maybe, when my life is a little less hectic," he was humble about the situation. The opportunity sounded great and was quite generous. Suddenly his phone rang, and he answered. "You got it," he quickly hung up, packed away the food for her take back to the others, and cleaned up his equipment in a flash. "Enjoy your meal, I really have to go," he rushed out of there.

Kim frowned for a bit, and then she thought about it. "There's no way," she let go that Antonio could be a Power Ranger. She managed to carry all food back and let go of the preposterous thought.

**Xxxxx**

**Two Hours Later  
Tengen Gate  
Undisclosed Location**

"This is the Tengen Gate," Mike incredulously asked, while walking forward, failing to show respect. "It's just a big wood thing." He wasn't too impressed with his surroundings.

"The Tengen Gate is a big part of ranger history, Mike," Jayden explained and stopped shy of the entrance. He reverently bowed like he always did.

Master Xandred's vengeance and vendetta against Jayden had spilled over to Earth, earlier in the day. The rangers fought hard against the very large Moogers. Usually, they were able to defeat them with just the Megazord, but they needed the Battlewing, Octozord and Clawzord to destroy them. They retreated to the Shiba House and were at a loss. This fight went up a notch in the difficult department overnight. Mentor mentioned they use a magic talisman created by the first Red Samurai ranger that could combine all of their Symbol Powers, known as the Black Box.

Jayden opposed the idea because the Black Box has never been completed. The task was laborious and required an unbounded amount of power. Overuse of their power could potentially have a deadly consequence, as his dad has proven.

Then, Antonio was thrown out there like easy prey for a wolf. He should be able to combine all of their Symbol Power and program the Black Box, in Emily's opinion. Kevin defended Antonio, since he thought about the logistics—Antonio didn't possess mastery of Symbol Power like the others. Mike sided with Emily along with Mia.

After hearing their reasons, Jayden agreed to ask Antonio to do this. Mentor believed they were the only team, who could be successful. He immediately sent them to the Tengen Gate, where, for generations, the Black Box has been kept safely.

Already notified, Daisuke headed to the front, and he met with the rangers. He happily greeted them, especially Jayden. Upon one look though, he knew Mentor hadn't done what's expected of him, or he missed his sister. He ignored that for now. He said a little anecdote and promptly introduced himself to the rangers, who didn't know him. A Senior Guardian led the Pink, Yellow, Green, and Blue ranger to the tea room, and Daisuke stayed with Jayden.

"Penny for your thoughts, Jayden," he asked, curious as to why Jayden stayed at the rock with Japanese letters longer than the others.

"It's nothing," Jayden half smiled and returned to looking at the monument of the first Nighlock attack.

"You haven't told them your secret, have you..." he wasn't pleased Mentor hadn't told his either.

Jayden faced Daisuke. "They're my friends, Daisuke. I don't like lying to them, and with everything that's occurred, I believe I need to keep up with the rouse," he replied truthfully, while pocketing his hands nervously.

When returning to the Shiba House after running away, he asked for forgiveness from his team, who were his first set of friends. They gladly welcomed him back and proclaimed there was no need for an apology. They had faith, understood he needed some time to himself, and they knew there was a lot on his mind. They weren't going to abandon him, at least not that easily. He chuckled at them, and they were off to the movies, since Mentor believed they deserved it.

The past several months have changed dramatically for him. He never expected to be this welcoming to Lauren's team, nor did he even think Antonio would show up like he did. However, he was thankful, glad, and experiencing several things he never thought he would.

"I'm sorry, Jayden. It is your duty to be the Red ranger," he apologized himself, while placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. His statement could be taken more ways than one. "You haven't spoken to Mentor about anything out of the ordinary?"

"No, is there something I need to know," Jayden asked inquisitively, while examining the older gentleman.

"Nothing right now," the Elder Guardian faked a smile. He opened his arm, signaling Jayden to stroll first. "Let's join your friends."

Jayden obliged and headed to the tea room. Daisuke trailed, and he saw the Pink and Blue ranger closely looking at the painting depicted on the side, bamboo wall: deep in the forest, there looked to be 100 Moogers, a woman in a traditional kimono, dragging a man in traditional Japense garbs away from a house that was burning severely. Not too many feet away, the same man was held victoriously in the Nighlock's arms while the young woman bowed in defeat. The powerful picture caused Mia to sympathize.

"It's an old folktale," Daisuke began. "A young woman made a deal with the Nighlock King to save the lives of her beloved and his father. The King tricked her and turned everyone into Nighlock."

"Sure sounds like something a Nighlock would do," Kevin instantly glared upon hearing the dishonesty of the evil. He wasn't too surprised that they played that dirty.

"The King took away one man's memory and cursed the other to live with his fate in an unconventional way. If both came together, it would be a deadly combination," the Elder Guardian finished. He partly explained the history behind Dayu, Deker, and Urumasa.

Mia's fingers softly touched the portrayal of Dayu and Deker. "It's strange... it's like I met this woman before," she described, entranced.

"Daisuke, rangers, the tea is ready," the Senior Guardian updated, and he opened the door for them to enter. He placed the tea in the middle of circle they had formed, unbeknownst to him these drinks were poisoned by Octoroo.

"We shall drink to honor this occasion," Daisuke rose his glass.

Jayden smiled and nodded and took the first drink. The drink tasted rancid, and that made him swallow roughly. Not too long after, he was overcame with the poison. He could feel his insides closing tautly, his breathing becoming shallow, perspiration forming around his exterior, and he felt like he was drowning in the Mariana Trench—the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean, unable to swim to the top.

"The drink is poisoned," he managed to say in the middle of coming in and out of consciousness.

The rangers speedily rushed to his side, while Daisuke was awfully concerned.

"Daisuke, there are Nighlock attacking the garden," a Junior Guardian alerted urgently. He spoke how the residents of this place were trying their best to fight.

Without a second thought, Kevin, Mia, Mike, and Emily ran to the front and morphed into their power suits. They grabbed their swords and physically navigated their way through the clumps of foot soldiers. All the while, Daisuke encountered the little miscreant named, Octoroo.

"Ooh, ah, ooh," the Nighlock with tentacles on his face systematically stated, while looking at the broken Red ranger. He finally did something right. He directed Arachnitor, a treacherous Nighlock, who wanted Master Xandred's throne, to fight the rangers, while he stayed here to convince the Red ranger to hand over the secret. "Red ranger, I want the Sealing Symbol," he unveiled his ulterior motive.

Another Junior Guardian bravely stood in front of Daisuke and Jayden, but he was easily defeated by a beam of energy from Octoroo.

"Your forces were defeated here before, Nighlock," Daisuke fiercely reminded the puny Octoroo.

"Ooh, ah, ooh, I'm not here for a history lesson. My only concern is the Red ranger and the Sealing power he has," Octoroo approached the struggling Jayden. "That poison will kill you eventually. I have the anitdote that will help, as long as you show me the Sealing Symbol."

"Jayden, don't do it," Daisuke ordered with force. He was about to jump on the Nighlock, but an energy shot caused him to fall to the ground. He convulsed at the unnatural feeling exploding from within.

"Dai-suke," Jayden almost strangled his vocal cords. He moved, using the rest of his strength to get out of there. He was obviously having a hard time, and he kept hearing the pestering taunts from Octoroo. He prayed to get away, and he hoped his team was doing okay. He crept in a lurching way. He went over pebbles that pierced his chest. He was fighting against the force pulling him down. He would find his way, despite his vision going from light to dark.

"Come on, Red ranger," Octoroo beckoned and kicked his chin. "I don't have all day for an answer."

Out the blue, Antonio showed up and instantly morphed. He jumped into the fight against Octoroo. He summoned his blade and was in an heated fight with the octopus demon from hell. They perilously fought and disrespectful quips were tossed around. The Gold ranger became entangled in the smaller demon's strings of a mouth and went for a wild ride in the air and flew towards the ground. Becoming angry, the Gold ranger used his blade and slashed the tentacles, several time. Once on the ground, they continued in their fight and eventually they became a stalemate.

In his human form, Deker appeared.

_"We'll help him and battle him later."_

"Hey fisherman," Deker called, announcing his arrival.

"Huh, what are you doing here," Antonio almost panicked, thinking he left him in the forest with his lunch.

"Relax," Deker transformed into his Nighlock form and slung Jayden over his shoulder. "I'll take care of the Red ranger from here," he vowed, and he escaped not too long after.

"Uh oh, time to go," Octoroo discontinued the battle and escaped in a tiny crevice.

"Jayden, aye, dos mio," the Gold ranger cried, very distraught. He had gotten carried away with today's events. The interview with Kimberly Oliver, his encounters with the fisherman, who was actually a Nighlock, and fighting Octoroo had proved to be distractions. He fell to the ground. "What have I done," he asked himself. He struggled to get up and went to find his friends He stumbled upon them, hidden in the forest, and their bodies were demorphed and riddled with injuries. He didn't know who to check on first, but he made a phone call. "Mentor. We have a problem or several," he began.

**Xxxxx**

**Three Weeks Later  
Boxed In  
Shiba House**

"I'll get him some water," Emily informed the others, while she briskly walked to the refrigerator. She grabbed the large carafe, and she got his Red cup. She poured some for him.

"And I'll get a wash cloth," Mia hurriedly offered, and she grabbed a free one and went to the sink. As she was wringing out the excess water, she stared at her leader with a lot of worry. Things weren't getting any better, she thought to herself.

Mike and Kevin were on each side of Jayden.

Mike intercepted the cup from Emily. "Here you go, drink up," he advised. He watched Jayden gulp down the beverage. "Don't do that to us ever again," he ordered earnestly. He patted Jayden on the back.

Kevin examined Jayden. "You're fine," he updated, and he sat across from the Red ranger. "What possessed you to work out like that," he questioned Jayden like he was a baby. "Was it Deker? Is it the Sealing Symbol? Do you need help?"

"No, I don't need help," Jayden gravely denied, his head facing the floor. Even if he did accept the help, he wouldn't even know what the first stroke would be. He closed his eyes, ignoring the chatter from them. He just wanted to crawl in his bed and sleep.

He submerged himself in today's workout. His head looked like a dirty mop, perspiration clung to his body, and the only time he took a break was to get a new kendo stick. In this practice alone, he broke three of them. His teammates wished for him to stop, take it easy, and work with them. Instead, he worked alone.

The thought of the Sealing Symbol, still missing Lauren, and actually having a talk with Deker culminated in him wanting to invest his pent up frustration in a workout. He remembered the half human, half Nighlock spoke so passionately about an impending duel, yet Jayden was never attacked. Maybe it was because Antonio showed up in the nick of time.

(Flashback)

_Deker's acquired strength made carrying Jayden a breeze. He must've walked over a hundred miles and tossed the Red ranger into the stream. Immediately, Jayden's body shuddered at the unannounced immersion. Completely soaked from head to toe, he rose. The Red ranger felt like he sparred with Mia for over a couple of hours, his head was throbbing, and he his stomach was still torn to pieces. _

"_Stay under. The water will purge the poison from your system," Deker commanded, listening to his dad's wishes. "Trust me, there's nothing we want more than you in top form. The sooner you recover, the sooner we'll be able to duel you," he intently watched him. _

_Jayden could do nothing else. He quickly dunked his body, allowing the purifying waters to wash over him. _

_Three hours later, Jayden came to once more. He sat against a large boulder. Deker looked to be pacing back and forth. _

"_I don't want to fight him," Deker yelled, his body becoming torn from the inside all over again. _

"_**You will! This is what I want. I need this to happen."**_

"_His body is weak. It's still poisoned. The fight will not be fair," Deker wanted this to stop. The **human** in him wanted this to stop. _

"_**He's fine. Just ask. My son, you will do this for me."**_

_The Red ranger thought Deker had gone mad. There was no one else inside the cave with them. Deker appeared to be talking to himself, which caused Jayden to think this Nighlock was definitely 'off his rocker'. _

"_Why do you care so much about fighting me," Jayden interjected, which caused Deker to immediately grab for Urumasa. "There are other good warriors in the world."_

"_Yes, but like me, you have a secret festering inside of you," Deker broke free from talking on behalf of Urumasa. He grunted before continuing. "We're warped, twisted even."_

"_What do you mean," Jayden took a step closer, getting angrier by the second. His eyes reverted to hardened diamonds and stared into the eyes of Deker. Oddly, the other man's eyes shifted from auburn to cool blue. He curiously examined. _

"_You would've sacrificed everything before giving that damn Ocotoroo the Sealing power. There's a spirit inside of you I've never found before in any other Samurai... I don't think I've found a fighting spirit like yours since him."_

"_Him?"_

"_Yes, him—the Legend. He's battled countless armies throughout the galaxy. He's fearless, and his power is known to everyone, which is why he's often targeted."_

"_**Who the hell are you talking about?!"**_

"_Silence," Deker ordered, feeling the immense pain all over again. _

"_Are you talking to yourself," Jayden had to ask, very curious about Deker's sporadic speeches to no one. _

"_Don't worry who I'm talking about... You're the perfect opponent, at least **he** thinks so..." Immediately, the half Nighlock, half human took his Urumasa out the holder and took the appropriate battle stance against Jayden. _

_Jayden reciprocated and summoned his Spinsword, and he circled with Deker. The thoughts in his head wouldn't stop. He had so many questions to ask this person, but their fight was set to happen now. He had no more to think._

_Unexpectedly, Antonio jumped in between and stopped them from fighting. _

**(End Flashback)**

He sighed, as he had four pairs of eyes on him. They were worried about him. It was clear. "I'm fine everyone. Seriously. And thanks," he smiled small but didn't sound too convincing.

"Are you sure," the Green ranger asked because he genuinely cared. He hoped to be on Jayden's level, and that's why he diligently worked so hard to master anything and everything related to the forest. "You just passed out on us."

"Trust, I'm okay," he faked a smile, keeping his true feelings within himself. Being a leader was beginning to get a little too tedious now.

The rest of the rangers dropped this. He was being stubborn. It was apparent, and they weren't going to fight him. He's already been through so much today and all other days. They knew he wasn't going to catch a break anytime soon.

"Where's Mentor," Emilly asked, as she looked around the room. "I haven't seen him since we started practice, and it's getting close to dinner time."

"Oh," Mia intervened, "I'll cook." She found herself by the cabinets. She scrounged around, thinking of what she could prepare for everyone else.

Emily, Mike, and Kevin glanced at each other so quickly they could've strained their neck. Mia and the stove were like oil and water. They just didn't mix. They escaped, making sure to take Jayden with them.

"Huh," Jayden yelped, while he was whisked out of there. He gave grateful looks to the others though.

"Hey, guys, I thought we were," Antonio was quickly silenced by Emily. He watched a finger planted firmly in front of her lips. "What's going on," he whispered.

"Our lovely Pink ranger is in the kitchen," Mike supplemented, and he saw Antonio vomit in his mouth. "You can say your thanks later by making dinner."

Antonio nodded, and they all retreated to the living room.

Still in the kitchen, Mia picked out a few things. "Maybe I can," she turned back around and found no one to be there. "Guys? Guys? Hello?" She furrowed her brows and returned to the cabinet. She put all of her pickings back. Oatmeal and dried mango on the bottom shelf, red pepper flakes, evaporated milk, chicken bouillon cubes and almond extract on the middle shelf.

Kevin slipped back in unnoticed. He hastily grabbed an apple, banana, an orange, and a bag of chips for Mike. He almost had to somersault out of there, so the Pink ranger didn't see him.

Mia hummed to herself, and she exited the kitchen soon after. She thought they weren't that hungry.

* * *

**A/N: The next chapter will have my interpretation of Dayu, Deker, and Urumasa explained in full. Just an FYI. ;)**


	15. Chapter 15- The Return

**Episode: **'The Ultimate Duel'

**Chapter 15- The Return**

**Xxxxx**

**(Flashback)**

_Mia found herself cooking a five star meal that could be served at any Korean restaurant. She saw her only patron, sitting at the long, table, decorated with fancy napkins, fine china plates, utensils, varying in size, and candles throughout the middle. _

"_Your meal is served," she greeted him and placed the plate of customary Korean hot and sweet barbecue, rice, kimchi, perfectly cooked shrimp, and crisp, cooked vegetables that still retained their natural color. She waited patiently for him to take a bite. _

_He savored the proportioned bite of rice, shrimp and vegetables, and then he tried the succulent barbecue. "Amazing," he complimented._

"_Who said I couldn't cook," she asked, very proud that she was able to make such a wonderful meal. _

"_I've always known you could cook," Jayden nicely praised. "Thank you, Mia. I love you." His eyes were warm and smiling at her, which caused her heart to flutter. Everything about her made him experience what love was. _

"_Aw, Jay," she practically sang. The statement was short in letters, but the meaning left an everlasting impression. For awhile, she had been waiting for him to admit his feelings, and he finally did. As a result, she could confess how she felt for him. She climbed onto his lap, making sure to face him. "I love you," she proclaimed for the first time. _

_The Red ranger was a bit nervous, as was she. He made the first move and kissed her lips. He loved the feeling of her velvety lips, and she delicately continued fusing hers with his. Their first kiss was innocent and established their feelings as more than friends. They looked at each other with hunger in their eyes. The making out became more feverish. She hotly moaned against the feeling of his tongue slinking in and around skillfully, and he let his hands roam freely behind her body. He cupped her firm ass, gently picked her up, and stood, while feeling her legs wrap around her back. He carried her a few feet away. _

_Though, they admitted their adoration, he stopped and safely placed her on two feet. _

_He broke the kiss._ "_Mia, Mia," he called before officially taking a step back. She couldn't be stopped and entered his personal space again. She continued nipping at his neck sexually. Then, he began to groan in ecstasy over the way she smoothly licked his ear. "We can't," he said more sternly._

"_Huh," she asked, puzzled by his sudden denial towards her. She retreated into a 'shell' and immediately backed away. She was pretty embarrassed, at this point, and she wanted him to burn in hell. "You... you can't do that! One minute you love me and kiss me to show you do, and then you tell me we can't!" Her arms were heatedly crossed over her chest, and she felt like he did a dance on her heart. Her chest hurt so much over this. _

_He calmly spoke to her._ "_I'm sorry, Mia." His fingers tried to intertwine with hers, but she was clearly angered by him. Instead of pressing the issue, he began to walk away—**again**. "I never meant to hurt you."_

"_No, no, no," she instantly panicked and tried to reclaim him. Each time she begged, a little piece of him became nothing. It was like he was becoming invisible. "You can't leave me again. You've already done it once, and that hurt. I couldn't sleep, I was just worried, and I wanted you back at the house... we can be together. I'll leave this life for you."_

_He half smiled, since he knew she wouldn't. "This isn't my life. It's yours..." With his face and arms remaining, Jayden swiped the tears that were coming down, and he kissed her again, saying goodbye._

_Mia watched, in shock, as he completely disappeared. She walked forward, to where had just been standing a second ago, and there was nothing. She looked around, in all directions. All she could hear was a Phoenix cawing, at least, that's what she saw in the sky. _

_Frantically, she searched for him and yelled his name. Each time she called for him to return her voice rose louder. She ran deep into the forest. That was the closest place to her makeshift restaurant. She hoped her echoes would reach him. Waves of tears rushed down. He wasn't coming back. She must've ran five miles already. Again, he was denouncing this life and for what reason? She collapsed onto the branches, crushing a few more. Her throat was dry, her chest ached, and she just didn't know where else to turn._

_Dayu suddenly walked into the picture and despair washed over her. _

_Mia wiped her tears and bravely stood. Her thoughts about Jayden traveled to the back of her mind. She witnessed Dayu, looking like she was in a daze. The female Nighlock lightly stepped to the stone covered house that was buried deep within the trees. Mia closely watched. Unexpectedly, she heard the horrific screams that were blood curdling. Unsure of what to do, she fumbled a bit while trying to fish for her Samuraizer. Wherever she was, didn't seem to believe in cell phones. She was brought out of her search. The sounds of a sword relentlessly hacking caused her to gasp. Magically, she was in front of the house and had to stomach hearing what was to come._

_Dayu stood to the side, fiercely clutching her instrument that doubled as a weapon. _

"_Julian... Julian..." the breathy summons caused Mia's heart to break even more._

"_No, no, no," the man incredulously shook his head. This must've been a dream. He couldn't have done this to her. He stared at the blood on his hands, clothes, and the sword he used to butcher his own wife. He never meant to take it this far. _

_The other woman lurched like a snail, and she tried to stop her husband, who was obviously in a daze. She believed he would never hurt her, but another force had taken over him. "Julian, I forgive you..." she spoke eerily it could make anyone's hair stand up on their neck. She coughed the blood back down. Death was slowly becoming her. "My love," she hissed an exhale, "please, don't let my death be in vain. Stop, please... stop."_

_Julian, as Mia came to know the murderer, bent down, and he used what energy remained and furiously shook her. She only moved because of him. "Please, please, please," he begged for his wife to wake up. Her life wasn't there anymore... _

_Mia watched intently, and she even wanted to cry. He killed his wife in cold blood, but there didn't seem to be a motive. _

_Julian grasped for his wife's body and held her so strongly it could've caused bones in her back to crack into pieces. He rocked back and forth, back and forth crying and weeping for her to come back. He'd leave his life as a prized bushido just to be with her once again. That's all she's wanted of him. He knew that. He was damn great at being the warrior he was though. He was hired if someone needed protection, to be killed, or if he was merely challenged. He was well known throughout the land for his despicable acts, and he loved the feeling of being feared. But, he was nothing without his wife by his side._

_The hunger for his next opponent caused his wife to plead for him to stop. All she wanted was her loving spouse back. She didn't want her future grandchild or grandchildren to be apart of that lifestyle, or at the very least, know about the occupation. She didn't know her opposing him would cost her, her life. _

"_I got kill again," Julian's remorse over his wife vanished. He let go of her; she fell to the floor with a thud. The voices in his head were too intense and unwavering, which was why he no longer could mourn. They wanted him to do their bidding, satisfy their profound need to slaughter once more. He shook and shook until they stopped. "No..." He rose and ran. _

_Dayu could do nothing but witness. Mia wanted to say something but wasn't allowed. _

_The scene around them changed so quickly. Both of them were in another cabin. This one made of sticks, wood, and other materials. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Mia two people on the bed. A man with blonde hair, auburn colored eyes, muscular body and lying with a gorgeous woman with long brown hair, brown doe eyes, and skin as soft as silk. They looked so happy, and they were engaged in talks filled with love and the future. __The female Nighlock turned her back to what Mia was watching. Mia casted her eyes to the side, curiously wondering about Dayu's connection to these events. _

"_I want three kids," the woman wished, while fingering her wedding ring and basking in his touches. "What do you think?"_

"_I don't know, Dalia... what if we had five instead," the man queried, while playing with strands of her hair. He implored her eyes, and he couldn't believe just hours earlier they were wedded in marital bliss. He wasn't too surprised, on the other hand. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he labeled her as his future wife. _

"_Oh, Deker," she instantly wrapped her arms around him and nodded with tears. "I can't wait."_

_Deker crawled out of bed and grabbed her wedding present. "I was supposed to give this to you when we first got in, but you know," he lightly chuckled and held up the repaired harmonium. _

_Dalia softly gasped. Two weeks before their wedding, she accidentally broke it. She couldn't believe he fixed it in time. She quickly wrapped her self up with the sheet of the bed and walked to another corner of the house, ignoring Mia's body. Standing right next to her Nighlock form, she picked up a specially carved weapon and turned to face the love of her life. His smile fell though, and he walked up to her. He grabbed the sword and examined the detailed curves and colors that came together so nicely. "Honey," she questioned, concerned over why he looked like that. _

"_I don't want to be like **him,"** he responded despondently while turning away. "I thought I wanted his life, but after seeing how obsessed he's become..." he closed his eyes, trying to gather his words. "even my mother is frightened by him. We've spoke about this on several occasions. My dad's a monster."_

_She watched the tug of war that happened behind his eyes. "I love you, and I'll be there for you for the rest of my life," she promised._

_Not even a minute later, their door was broken down, and there was Deker's dad. He had fire behind his eyes, his clothes were soaked with dry blood and he looked at the fresh meat he called his son and daughter in law. He held a torch in his hand, flames about a foot tall and raging away. The scorching sounds were howling._

"_Dad," Deker exclaimed in surprise and shielded his new wife immediately. "What the hell are you doing?!"_

"_I killed your mother," was all Julian said to his son. _

"_Oh my God," Dalia's hand flew to her mouth and grasped Deker's shoulder. "We need to go check on her!"_

_The Pink ranger watched this tormented triangle. The missing pieces were coming together. _

_Dayu resumed facing the front. Her body language said it all. She has returned to her past. **She** was Dalia. _

"_She's dead. She can't be brought back," Julian mentioned. Unlike before, he was heartless and cold over what's happened. He scanned this place with interest. He purchased this cabin for Deker and Dalia. The money he made was put to good use. They deserved something of this magnitude. He imagined himself watching after little Dekers and Dalias running around cheerfully calling for papa and mama. He would be papa. Now, that was gone. "We're going with her," he dementedly promised and dropped the torch. _

_Mia protected her body. The flames were growing to skyscraper heights and engulfing the entire home. The fire passed through her, and she gasped at the feeling. She was safe, but they weren't. Again, all of them were outside. The house was still burning, Deker's lifeless form in Dalia's arms, and Julian tossed carelessly to the side. From head to toe, all three were covered in black tar._

_Dayu incredibly flinched at the next part. _

"_Please," Dalia kept stroking Deker's face. "Someone hear my call!"_

_Luckily for her, a shadowed figured appeared. He approached the fallen people with a proposal in mind. They would serve him later, much later in a hellish afterlife. He spoke so evilly. "I can save them, for a price..."_

_Dalia stared, and she didn't like the sound of this, but she loved her husband so much. She would gladly sacrifice her life for his. "Please," she spoke so softly. _

"_Simply trade your humanity for an eternity in the Netherworld," the newcomer began and made his finger slide against what was in its hands. He watched her hesitancy, and he was getting restless. "Make up your mind," he growled. _

_Again, she looked to the fallen body of her husband and the bastard she called her father in law. She loathed Julian, since he caused this, but she knew her husband would need a companion. His father was going to have to fill her void, and she believed he needed to suffer the consequences of living in this world without his love too. _

"_They're both fading fast," the Nighlock beckoned, becoming even more unrulier than he already was. _

_Silver, slivers of water came down so fast. She nodded, caving in. "I accept," was all she needed to say. _

_Mia's heart clenched at watching the sight. _

_Dayu wished she could tell her past self 'no'._

_The monster conjured up the black magic and showered Deker and Julian. The hatred, hunger, and domineering qualities of Julian and his whole body was transferred into the sword—the rangers knew today as Urumasa. Deker became a half human, half Nighlock and his memories of Dalia and his past minus his dad were wiped away. _

_The Nighlock was definitely dirty in that sense._

_Dalia watched helplessly, as she saw the man she loved became this indispensable human and her father in law was contained to a sword. She grasped the instrument she was able to salvage from the fire. She deeply held on, since this would be the last token of his affection."No... you tricked me," she cried again. _

_Deker rose, and he grabbed for the ill fated sword. They would still be forever intertwined and live a dreadful life together. He felt so much power the first time he morphed into his Nighlock form. He relished the feeling, and he knew his dad was proud to be like this too. In a flash, they were gone. _

_Speechless, Deker's wife took a step forward. There was nothing. They were no longer there, and she knew she chose the wrong fate. Those two were a deadly combination together. Deker was a product of Julian, and Julian's obsession was passed down to the next generation._

_ Unexpectedly, the curse she chose for herself took over. Her body was encased with all these horrid mouths, faces, blue, red, and her ass was a mouth for goodness sake. She, too, felt powerful, but with all the power she held, she still couldn't mend her broken heart. _

"_Dayu... no wonder you're so tormented," Mia longingly commented._

_Dayu managed to shed to a tear._

**(End Flashback)**

**Xxxxx**

**The Ultimate Duel  
Shiba House- Kitchen  
Panorama City, CA**

Mia was in the kitchen. Yesterday, she witnessed Dayu's past. It was heart wrenching. Dayu, in her human life, was a woman named Dalia. Urumasa was actually a man named, Julian, who was Deker's dad. Deker was Dayu's husband. What didn't make sense to the Pink ranger was the body of Deker now versus the body of Dayu's Deker. Clearly, there were two Dekers, both tied to Urumasa, but how?

"Hey, Mia," Emily stopped just shy of the entrance to the kitchen and didn't know she had brought Mia out a stupor. She watched, glad that Mia could make a mean cup of tea.

"I was just going to bring some tea for you," Mia updated, pouring a cup of black tea. This drink was a necessity in the house.

"Thank you, but you need to stop fussing over me," Emily hoped and took a seat at the table. She sighed. "I'm almost as good as new. I should be healed by tomorrow."

Mia shut her eyes. Emily wouldn't have to be 'as good as new', if it wasn't for her. "It's just that went it was time to fight Dayu," she picked up the teacup set and walked to where Emily was, "I hesitated, and then you got hurt."

"I understand." the Yellow ranger earnestly looked at the torn Pink ranger. "Seeing Dayu's past in that dream world, it must've been hard on you."

"That's the problem. I can't let my feelings get in the way of our mission anymore..."

Mia had gone to the bookstore that morning. She wanted to purchase a few things like: a cooking book, a new apron, and some fresh ingredients to make a decent meal. Dayu appeared in this world, and she took a wandering musician captive. Mia saw and morphed into action. She chased Dayu, who was still carrying this musician, deep into the forest.

Rhinosnorus, a Nighlock known for his manipulation of dreams, exhaled supernatural smoke on the two. They immediately fell asleep and entered the 'Dream World'. Clearly, Mia wanted to cook an edible meal for her crush, Jayden, which slowly became a dreaded nightmare because he vanished into thin air with words that weren't so pleasant. Then, somehow, her dreams collided with Dayu, who went to a somewhat happier time in her past.

The savage beast named Julian caused heartache and torture. He was hellbent on committing murder or murders-suicide. He had no heart because he killed his wife not too much earlier, and he wanted to kill his own son. Yet, Dayu was still willing to save him regardless.

Dayu was a different kind of Nighlock, as she was plagued with regret and emotions that were definitely unstable. That fueled her wrath, which caused people to suffer. Out of the 'Dream World', Mia became concerned and wanted to help Dayu. Upset that Mia was 'eavesdropping' and being naive, Dayu withdrew her sword and wanted to attack the vulnerable Pink ranger.

Thankfully, Emily stood in when she did.

"You're really being too hard on yourself," Emily gently relayed. She hated to see Mia like this, so she changed the subject. "Am I going to be in the bedroom by myself tonight?"

Mia's eyes grew big. "Uh-uh..." She had no clue how she was going to get out of this one.

"You're lucky. I wouldn't know how Mike and I could get away with something like that," the Yellow ranger partly frowned. She had been wanting to spend the night with the Green ranger, but she knew Kevin would probably snitch. In addition, the last thing she wanted was a thump from Mentor's handy dandy stick.

Mike finally found the girls. They were needed too. "Guys, we're all meeting in the living room. It's important," he informed.

Emily and Mia rose and followed Mike questioningly. The females were greeted by a distressed Kevin, an aloof Antonio, and a very serious Jayden. This could only be about one person, Deker.

Mia sat on a chair. Her demeanor was colder than usual, and she attributed that to her new found uncaring attitude she promised to uphold. Also, the information she knew about the real reason 'Deker' craves this. She sat and listened. She wasn't surprised the Blue ranger was opposed.

"Deker insists that's how it has to be," Antonio seriously vouched, remembering the demands of the maddened Nighlock.

"You can't do this. A samurai only fights battles that are necessary," Kevin was systematic and followed the rules. This was not following a rule. Jayden should know that.

"This _is_ necessary, if I don't go, Deker threatened to hurt other people," Jayden adamantly argued. This had been going on for awhile, and he knew Deker wouldn't let go until this duel happened.

"Okay, that's fine, we'll battle him like any other Nighlock, as a team!"

"Kevin, you don't get it," Jayden stood and defied the taller guy. He glared at the Blue ranger. "If I'm not alone, Deker won't be satisfied."_** I**_ wouldn't be satisfied he wanted to say, but kept that to himself.

"Since when do we let a Nighlock dictate how we battle," Kevin frustratedly screamed at his leader. He thought this was a frivolous fight, and there would be nothing to come out of it.

Emily almost jumped at the loud shouts. Mike bounced from one side to the other, unsure of who was right. Antonio would definitely side with Jayden because he saw how serious Deker was.

"It's the sword," Mia spoke in a trance, reliving Dayu's dream. She stared to the ground, as she continued. "The sword wants this fight."

"The sword," Emily asked in disbelief, and she thought Mia was acting like a lunatic.

"Julian, Urumasa, whatever you choose to call him, _it_ wants this fight. It's the one that tells Deker, or whoever he is, what to say. They won't stop. Their demands won't quit. We have to let him go," she defended Jayden, much to their surprise.

Kevin couldn't believe it. He looked at Mia, and then at Jayden. They were conspiring something, in his opinion. "Mia, how can you say that," he questioned.

Mia stared at Kevin with daggers in her eyes. Jayden, her leader, was obviously willing to do this fight, and she was going to support him. Even if the fight didn't happen tomorrow, they would fight eventually. _"_**_He_** needs to be relieved of this," she callously rendered her verdict, while remaining a bit cryptic. "Jayden goes."

"Jayden, isn't just our leader. He's also the one with the Sealing power," Kevin reminded the rest of them. "Jayden, you're the key to stopping the Nighlock."

That's all Mike needed to hear. "Kevin's right, you can't risk it," the Green ranger agreed with Kevin.

The Red ranger stared down his team. They had valid reasons, but that still wasn't going to end unrelenting taunts and wishes of Deker. "This discussion is over," he immediately abandoned them for his room. He needed to dress into his training outfit and get ready for the duel.

**Xxxxx**

**Four Hours Later  
Jayden's Room**

Mia continued the nightly ritual that's she's been doing for the past few months. Once the lights were out around the house, he would send her a text message for her to come. She would, but this time, it was going to be unlike the other times.

She knocked on his door. He opened, and she entered the room. She kept her distance from him, while Jayden returned to his bed, already waiting for her to join.

"Mia," he asked, confused by her just standing there. He didn't take her for having a memory problem. Their days were pretty consistent. They battled, ate throughout the day, trained as necessary and at night, they'd wait for everyone to sleep, so they could have alone time in his room and fall sleep. Every morning, she was quite successful in sneaking back to her room or acting like she was up earlier than everyone else. That's how it's been."What's your problem?"

"You," she firmly crossed her arms and looked away, staring at a Japanese Cherry Blossom painting.

"What did I do?!"

"Oh, you know what you did."

"Not really. Care to lie down and clue me in," he hoped that would help to ease the tension, but the glare coming from her was not disappearing.

"No," she snapped with so much anger it caused Jayden to almost have a heart attack.

He got up and walked to her. He towered over her, and he brought his face so close he could literally feel the heat of her anger being emitted. She was definitely upset with him, and he had no clue why.

"What was the point of you even coming in here, if you were going to act like this," he huffed under his breath.

"To tell you, we are not going to sleep in the same bed together," she replied, surpassing his anger and turning away.

"You could've sent a text message," he muttered immaturely, boring holes into her back.

Mia thought that was a wonderful idea. She grabbed her phone that she brought this time around and pressed the sequential buttons. "There."

Jayden heard the beeps and checked his phone. '''We are not going to sleep in the same bed together'," he read. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"I'm as serious as a heart attack," she stated defiantly. "You're an asshole, you know that, and you don't even like me!"

"Why the hell did you defend me then," he questioned about earlier. The rest of the rangers were against his decision to fight Deker, but her. He thought they had a common understanding. Now, he wasn't so sure. He made her turn around, and he watched her fiddling with her fingers. Suddenly, she wiped beneath her eye. Something was definitely bothering her. "Talk to me," he pleaded.

Mia shook her head. "There's nothing to talk about. I just wanted to tell you, we can't sleep in the same bed anymore. It's business as usual," she had her hand on the tiller of the door, but he placed his hand on top of hers to stop. She subtly looked up at him.

"Does this have anything to do with what happened earlier," he asked in a genteel way. He didn't want to upset her even more than she was.

"It was nothing," she lied.

"Mia," he grasped her hand, and he made her come to his bed once more. At first, she resisted, but he assured her everything was going to be okay. He sat on the bed, and he made her sit on his lap.

This was just like her dream, and she had to get back up. "No, you're going to leave me," she thought her biggest fear was happening.

"What," Jayden queried, and he looked at her seriously. "Mia, no. I'm not. I'm right here, and I'm not gonna leave."

For a few moments, she stared and finally sighed. "Okay," she felt like she could believe him and resumed where she was. She buried her head into the crook of his neck and spoke. "I'm sorry, but the dreams I experienced or witnessed were just so vivid, and they caused me to become weak."

He began to massage her back soothingly, and he was hoping to help her calm down. He wasn't the only one stressed. She was too. "You aren't weak," he told her. "You're strong, compassionate and empathetic. You make Kevin quiver in his pants, and I really did think you had enough Symbol Power to use the Beetle Disc. Yet, you made a thoughtful decision by giving Mike the disc because you knew he the ability to. You are the epitome of a Pink ranger, and I-" He wasn't sure if he could finish the sentence. Instead, he began to caress her wrist.

Mia mildly shuddered upon feeling his fingers and snuggled deeper into his arms. "You're gonna think I'm stupid," she mindlessly blurted. She covered her mouth soon after.

"What," he questioned her and witnessing her cheeks become infused with pink.

"Dayu's flashback wasn't the only thing that I saw. There was a little snippet of me and you," she revealed after withdrawing her hands from in front of her mouth.

"And," he kinda chuckled at her stalling.

"Well, we kissed, and we said... _something,_ but then you said 'this was not my life, it's yours' and left," she divulged, wondering how he felt.

Jayden was shocked to say the least. She was serious. She was actually afraid he was going to leave again. "I know I left so suddenly after the battle at the quarry, that time, but I don't want to do that again. Just like you guys need me, I also need you guys," he honestly said. "Now, are you still mad at me?"

She smirked and shook her head. "I don't know what got into me earlier," she murmured, a little mortified she was spurned on by a dream. "It just felt so real that was all."

"It's okay. I'd be mad if you ever left the house without, you know, a reason," he admitted. Now, that she was in his life, he hoped she wouldn't leave. He loved being around her, even if she was angry part of the time. "I have to say, you're very cute when angry. Your nose scrunches, and you look like you're gonna summon your Sky Fan," he laughed at her.

"Shut up," she playfully pushed his shoulder. He continued laughing. She was about shove him once more, but he stopped her by grasping for her hand. Blue orbs and brown pools met. She explored his eyes, and she nodded.

"Are you sure," he didn't want to overstep his boundaries with her, and he was fretting over this.

"Positive."

For the first time, Jayden leaned in. He nicely began to peck her lips. He used his hands to bring her closer to him, and she used her fingers to gently massage the back of his head. She opened her mouth for a little more access, and he let his tongue massage hers. Their tongues were like snakes and slithered around before returning to innocent kisses.

He backed away just a bit and nervously looked at her. "I know, it probably wasn't your best, and you really are my first kiss, I wasn't sure what to do, but..."

"Shh," she used a finger to quiet him down. She laid on the bed finally, and she grabbed his shirt, so he could climb on top. They continued kissing throughout the night.

Again, Jayden knew they were breaking several rules, but he's never experienced anything like this before. He was going to do what made him happy. He was already putting his life on the line by fighting evil, on the behalf of his sister. Tomorrow, he wasn't sure what was going to come from the duel, so he needed to live his life to the fullest; he only had one.

He's also gone long enough without subjecting himself to the effects of puberty, and he was going to do what satisfied his hunger.

_She_ satisfied his hunger.

**Xxxxx**

**Midnight  
Deep in the Panorama City Forest**

Dayu left the ship because Master Xandred ruined her harmonium. She thought being without Deker was painful, but the last treasure from his heart literally broke her to pieces. She finally relinquished living on tattered ship though. How she had been living for the past two centuries was enough torment and living Master Xandred, Octoroo, and those irritating furry warts added to her despair. She believed, if she chose otherwise, she and Deker would have been together in the afterlife.

Julian, her ex-father in law, never stopped. He lived for the thrill of the kill regardless of how everyone begged him to not continue. He never listened. All he cared about was drawing blood, watching life vanish in people's eyes, and decapitating people's heads. As gruesome as it sounded, more like from a horror picture show, that's the life he led as a Bushido.

And everyday, it tore her mother in law to pieces. Anita, Deker's mom, came to her crying all the time, and Deker would watch her mom wracked with sobs! He didn't want to follow in his dad's footsteps, at least 80% of him didn't. The other 20% was susceptible to becoming this vile warrior.

Now, the Deker she thought she knew, wasn't him. The body wasn't his. The blue eyes was the most pronounced, as that was not that color of her husband's eyes. Yet, she felt so connected to this man. She didn't understand why.

She cradled her instrument close to where she thought her heart was. The moon and the stars were her only light, and she walked along the forest's trails. She wandered until she saw him. She drew a pretty piercing breath upon seeing this Deker, clothed only from from the bottom down,. He appeared to be a Greek God with a chiseled chest, abs that looked like cheese could be on, and arms that were almost too sinful to look at. She watched manipulating his sword gallantly and vigorously.

This was practice; the duel with the Red ranger must be coming soon she pondered.

Not even five minutes later, he completely changed.

"You can't make me fight him," Deker yelled, dropping to his knees. Once more, he grasped each side of his head that felt like it was getting bashed in with a cement brick. Jarring screams began to exit his mouth.

Urumasa glowed a tainted shade of cardinal. The hold on this man wasn't sustaining. Again, more magic was invoked. By itself, the cursed weapon rose to the air and hurled a big ball of energy towards the defiant man.

"Ahhh," the Nighlock and human side of this host converged and diverged simultaneously. All he felt was fire, poison, and his soul being consumed by the essence of the Sanzu River once again. As much as he fought and didn't want to succumb to this torture once more, he didn't have a choice.

_"I never wanted to do this,"_ Urumasa dropped to the ground. The glowing quickly stopped. _"You really aren't my son, but my son never deserved this."_ The sword had been so used to calling him Deker, but that had to stop. This person didn't resemble, act, speak like his son.

Dayu ran to the fallen man. She checked to see if he was okay.

With witchery immensely added again, he didn't like being tended to. He shoved Dayu away. "I don't need your help," he hissed while struggling with all of his might and back peddled away from her. "I'm fine."

"You aren't fine."

"I am," he was on two feet now. He stared Dayu down. "Why do you insist on talking to me? I'm not who you think I am," he frigidly stated.

She looked, a little hurt by his attitude. All she wanted to do was help. "You aren't, but you don't deserve to live this cursed life either," she strongly proclaimed. "Like me and _him,_" the him was her husband. To her, Urumasa wasn't worthy of being acknowledged.

He sighed and went to put on his heavy top. He dressed in silence. Once fully clothed, he spoke to her again. "Dayu, if that's your name," he began. "I _am_ Deker. I don't know what happened to your Deker, but..."

_"Just tell her, I did one good thing in my deplorable life."_

Deker listened, as he was the only one that could hear Urumasa speak, and did as told. "Wait, he wants you to know something," he halted Dayu from walking away.

Dayu cautiously turned and faced him. There was a glimmer of hope within her.

"Your Deker didn't want to live like this anymore, so Urumasa relieved him and chose me to carry on the fate," Deker explained on behalf of the sword. He intently watched the female Nighlock, as she went to on a rock and digested the new information. "No, we don't know where he is."

"So, he's no longer cursed," she found her voice to speak.

_"He's on longer cursed."_

"He's not," he responded and packed his things and was about to leave. "Good luck, Dayu," his human side came out verbally.

"Good luck to you. I hope you are victorious in this fight," she wished because if he wasn't then this body would die too.

"I have to be," he smirked as he pondered deep down inside of him. "I have a family waiting for me." He left after that.

Dayu mourned by herself. Julian still couldn't be excused for what's happened. Another family could be possibly broken, on his behalf. Finding the strength, she continued walking and wanting to forget the conversation that just occurred.

**Xxxxx**

**The Next Day  
Lumintor Beach**

High on a peak, overlooking the beach's crashing waters, Jayden dropped to his knees in relief. His body literally felt inflamed. His arm was sprained, the side of his mouth was slightly parted with blood coming through, and he was heavily soiled from head to toe with a combination of grit, water, and sweat. His intense need to prove his self worthy caused him to become overwhelmed with various emotions. Yet, he was victorious. He intentionally let Deker hurt him, so he had the upper hand and slashed his enemy—Urumasa, in half.

Deker suffered the effects of Urumasa being in two pieces and Jayden's blow. The Red Samurai ranger had watched the man staggering away. His footsteps were so rugged, Jayden believed his human side would appear and finally show, who this Deker was. However, that wasn't the case. Nighlock Deker fell over the peak. Jayden scrambled to the edge and anxiously looked for him, but he was already gone. He didn't understand how quickly that could happen, other than, he fell to the bottom of the ocean's waters already. He actually said a little prayer for him and hoped he was truly relieved of the curse.

The rest of the team ran to find Jayden. They were successful in their last battle with Rhinosnorus.

"Jayden," Emily shouted, finding him.

"Jayden, are you alright," Kevin asked, as he ran up to him.

"Yeah," was all the Red ranger answered.

Mia was the first to get down on his level. She had to know, but from the looks of it Deker was gone. "And Deker... is he..." she couldn't stomach to say. She horribly failed at keeping her feelings out of this mission.

Jayden took a good look at her, and he conveyed a message. "Gone...I'm sorry, Mia," he apologized because of the vision she saw.

She simply nodded, accepting his fate. Antonio, Emily, Kevin, and Mike joined in and mourned for the fallen Deker. Though, he seemed to make the fight harder and intruded when he didn't need to, that didn't mean they were filled with cold hearts. He was a demented soul. They gathered he wasn't like that at first. Damn it, he wasn't even a Deker, so someone in there had to be free of this.

"Let's get you home," Kevin announced for everyone.

Mia helped Jayden to stand. She was happy that Jayden prevailed, even though he suffered injuries. If she had completely lost him, well, she didn't want to even think about that. With everyone else's help, they all headed back to the Shiba House.

**Xxxxx**

**Four Hours Later  
Shiba House- Outside **

"Rangers together, Samurai forever!"

They chorused happily, as they dug into the meal Antonio prepared. There was a large piece of salmon, garlic bread toasted to perfection, summer tossed salad, and fresh lemonade. They loved eating at the barbecue set, and even more, they enjoyed the company of one another. It was a glorious end to a gloomy start.

"Antonio, this fish is delicious," Mike took two more bites and washed down the freshly cooked fish with a drink of lemonade. "You can cook for me any day."

"I concur," Mia nodded in agreement, while cutting another bite. "It's always nice to have another cook in the house," she obliviously mentioned, as the others hurriedly whipped their heads up to look at her like she was crazy.

"Right," the Gold ranger seemingly agreed. "Um, listen I have this upcoming job in the city, and I was wondering if you guys can help." He thought this was the best time to bring it up, and with Deker gone, the fights would probably adjust a tad.

Mentor wasn't sure that was a great idea. He shook his head. "I don't know, Antonio. They, and you especially, still have a lot of training. We don't need anymore distractions. Plus, you need to complete the Black Box," he opposed the thought.

"What kind of job is it," Emily was a bit curious.

"A new store is opening up, and I volunteered to cook. It looks to be a very big opening, and I'm gonna need the extra hands," Antonio replied, looking to every one of his friends. "Mentor, I understand your hesitation, but if I promise this won't interfere with all our training, will you allow them to help?"

"I'll have to think about it," Mentor responded firmly. "I understand this is an important job, but asking the rest of the team to help, it's, just..."

"We're a team," Jayden interjected before Mentor Ji could finish his sentence and nodded at Antonio he would assist. "If one of us needs a hand, we are all there. This is important to Antonio, and I want to be there to help." He believed he owed a lot to his friend.

"This coming from the guy who went to battle a Nighlock all by himself," Kevin noted with snooty hand gestures. "We don't know what's going to be thrown at us next, so why leave the compounds just to cook for a party?"

"I'll repeat myself one more time. I battled Deker because he threatened to hurt innocent people and part of me needed this fight. I wanted to prove that I am worthy of being the Red ranger," Jayden reiterated.

Mentor wanted to strangle Jayden right then and there. He looked at his main pupil with fire in his eyes. "Jayden, I need to speak with you. Now," he motioned for him to get into the house.

Mike blew out a hefty breath. "Someone is in trouble," he immaturely crooned. He received a thwack from Ji's wooden stick. "Ow!"

"Quiet," Ji reprimanded with stern eyes. "Everyone, continue eating," he left with Jayden by his side, and the two disappeared into the house.

"I wonder what that was about," Mia pondered, while watching them leave. She shrugged her shoulders and continued eating.

Emily leaned closer to Mike. "Maybe, Mentor found out Mia's been sleeping in Jayden's room," she whispered, so only he could hear.

Mike couldn't believe what he heard. "Are you serious," he questioned, though he was surprised by his leader rebelling against Ji.

She nodded. "Yup, they've been sleeping together for awhile now," she revealed because she trusted Mike. She drank her lemonade, inconspicuously swaying her eyes left to right. She hoped no one else could hear, especially Mia.

"That's pretty gutsy of him," Mike commented above a whisper, which caused Antonio to overhear.

"Who's gutsy," he curiously wondered, while looking between Emily and Mike. "I waiting," the Gold ranger could surprisingly carry a tune.

"I meant crusty," Mike quickly tried to cover for himself and Emily, but he received an 'F' for failing to be believable. "Ow!" He shrieked at Emily's punch in the arm. "Is it abuse Mike day," he began to soothingly rub his left arm.

"It will be if you keep this up," Emily snapped, regretting telling Mike anything.

Meanwhile, in the house, Mentor started to walk the floors in the living room before facing Jayden.

"I understand you had to battle Deker. I wished I was included in the meeting, but you already know I would side with you no matter what. You did the right thing, but to do it because you needed to prove you are worthy of being the Red ranger, well, I'll be honest, you almost gave away the truth!"

Jayden stood from the armrest he was sitting on. "Mentor, I don't think I did. They aren't suspecting that I'm not the 18th Shiba head," he hoarsely whispered while being a little brash. "You already know how I feel. I always like I have to step out of Lauren's shadow. Today, I did prove that I can handle this."

"You've been handling this!"

"Not as well as I like to," Jayden admitted while looking down at the floor.

Mentor sighed. He shouldn't be surprised, and maybe, rather than being a stand in father, he was overly thinking his position as being his teacher. He was overreacting. Jayden has proved himself countless times. He was what a Red ranger should be. A fight with Deker didn't need to establish anything else.

"If your dad saw you now," he gulped down the pain of being a little deceitful to him, but at the same time, he knew his biological dad would probably feel the same, "he'd be so proud of you. I mean that." Ji felt torn. His head told him to admit the truth, but his heart told otherwise. Looking at Jayden and how he was now, he just couldn't bring himself to say he wasn't a Shiba. He wasn't sure when the right time was, and how this would affect the fight had he said something now.

"Thank you, Ji. That means a lot to me," the Red ranger sincerely acknowledged. "Everyday I think of him, and I hope I am carrying the legacy just like he wanted."

"You have, and I believe Lauren would be proud too." Mentor also believed Jayden had good judgement, so he relented. "I suppose I should allow you and the team to help Antonio. On few conditions," he proposed.

"What's that?"

"Continue practicing, make sure to not give your identities away, and you figure out a way to make sure Mia doesn't lay a finger on a knife or anything of that nature. She'd be a great hostess though," Ji replied honestly. Jayden didn't laugh like Mentor hoped. "What?"

"Mentor, she's not that bad," Jayden defended her. "With a little coaching and a cookbook, she can be a decent chef."

Mentor rose his eyebrow. "Ah, I see it now..." His speculations rang true at Jayden's words. Even if Mia was deemed a bad cook, Jayden was able to look past that.

"See what," Jayden repeated like an inquiry.

"You like her," the older man accused with a smirk.

"Of course I like her. I like Kevin, Mike, Antonio, and of course Emily. They're on my team, and we're all friends."

"No, no, no. You like her as more than a friend. You have a crush on her," though Mentor already knew. With this, he figured this was the time to have _the talk_. He took a closer look at Jayden. "I already know."

"You know," the Red ranger almost squeaked with mixed with emotions.

"Yes, it's clearly obvious."

"It's her perfume, huh," Jayden asked, thinking he was caught He had to tell Ji sometime, but he thought that would be later, like _way_ later. He spoke further, not realizing he was actually telling Mentor about his nightly rendezvous with the Pink ranger . "It lasts for a really long time, even at night. Her perfume lingers until the next day. So, you smell it too?"

"What?!" Mentor incredulously questioned not liking where this was going. "Her perfume... on you... I'd smell it?"

"Well, yeah. Me and Mia sleep together," the Red ranger dumbly revealed. "Isn't that what you meant?"

"No, not, at, all," Mentor lividly cursed under his breath. He left his stick outside, though he should've had it in his hand. "Mia," he yelled at the top of his lungs and quickly headed to the outside. He looked in shock to see the Pink ranger running around like she was in a goose chase with the Yellow ranger, Mike egging it on, Antonio not sure where to look, and Kevin still cutting up his fish strategically.

Jayden ran outside as well. He needed to warn Mia, or else she would face Ji's wrath too. He immediately stopped because of the shenanigans occurring. "What's going on," he asked feeling a little in the dark.

"Oh, you know, just the Pink and Yellow ranger getting some cardio," the Green ranger answered nonchalantly. Though, one look at Mentor caused him to whimper in fear.

"Antonio, this fish is delicious," Kevin loudly praised, not knowing there was in issue brewing at hand. The rest of the male rangers shook their heads at him. "What?!"

Mia and Jayden were deep trouble with Mentor. He summoned the both of them back inside the house.

**Xxxxx**

**One Week Later  
Evans House  
Turtle Cove, CA**

She looked at the time. The clock blinked 3:31 AM. She should've been sleeping, but she hadn't been able to catch any z's lately. There was just too much on her mind. She'd never thought her life would turn out like this: a single, working mom. She didn't regret her children one bit, but being without her husband was what troubled her the most. She heard her youngest daughter crying, and she walked over to the bassinet that stayed near her bed she used to share with him. She picked up her daughter and carried her around, hoping she would just go back to sleep.

"Hush little baby," she began the melodic lullaby, and she sang until her daughter was back to bed. She yawned and placed her baby girl back in her comfy holder. Next, she walked down the stairs of her home and in no time she entered her kitchen. She placed on the coffee pot and sat at the table, beginning to fall asleep.

"Mom."

She was suddenly awoken by the call of her oldest son, who was eight years old. She was a bit startled, but she regained her composure. She saw him standing by the opening, and he was carrying a tattered, red lion. That was a present from his dad.

"Yes, baby," she summoned for her son to sit at the table. "You couldn't sleep," she wondered and got up to make a cup of coffee.

"No," he hopped onto one of the chairs. He earnestly stared at his mom with rounded blue eyes, dark hair, creamy skin and looking an awfully like his father. "When's dad coming home?"

She almost spilled hot coffee on her over hearing the inquiry. She didn't know when he was coming home. Close to a year has passed, and she hasn't heard a thing from her husband. She could still say they were married, since no divorce papers or a death certificate had been drawn up. At least, not yet. That was still an option for her, but she believed in 'til death do us part', and she still had faith he was alive out there, somewhere.

Part of her felt stupid for letting her husband convince her they needed to go through with the mission, but she agreed because fellow rangers needed help. They moved to their predetermined city, got jobs, and enrolled their children of age into schools. They easily blended in, and they were keeping their eyes, ears and knowledge open, hoping they would meet him, or get the heads up from other rangers he'd been found.

Yet, Tommy and Kim couldn't be completely blamed.

She remembered the day vividly. They were on a camping trip because he felt one with nature. Even though she was six months pregnant, she still thought it would be okay. At that time, they already had a son and daughter. They, too, enjoyed running around outdoors freely. Her husband said he was going to hunt for fish by a nearby stream, and he'd back in no time. He kissed her, their children, and lastly, he kissed her plump belly. He told them, 'I love you', and he was gone.

Half an hour turned to an hour and eventually three hours and over a hundred calls to his cell later, she called the police. They searched the grounds. Nothing was produced. She called for backup, and past power teams attempted to pinpoint where he gone to, but his remnant ranger energy couldn't be picked up. By foot, teams searched, but all that was found was his cell phone. And, that was by chance. There was nothing on the phone that was out of the ordinary.

She made a choice, packed everything up everything in the house they were renting and returned to their rightful home in Turtle Cove.

She went through the birth of their youngest daughter without him, but with major support from others, and she continued her life.

"Daddy will be home soon," she promised just like the other times.

"He's not coming home," he cried and ran off to his room.

"Damn it," she cursed, and she followed her son upstairs. He was lying down, his head deep in his pillows, and wailed to the point of exhaustion. She, too, became tired just hearing him.

"CJ, daddy will be home. He's out there; I just know it," she comforted her son to the best of her ability.

CJ took a peek at his mom, only using one eye. "Does he love me," he asked curiously and so innocently.

She sadly smiled. "Of course. He loves you, Alaiya,and Anna," she vowed.

The two fell back to bed.

Six hours later, she awoke and found herself still in CJ's bed. She felt around for him, but he was nowhere. "CJ," she called. She got out of his room and went to check the room of her six year old daughter, Alaiya. Her daughter wasn't in her room either. Panic began to come, and she went to her bedroom. Her other daughter, Anna, wasn't in the crib either. She immediately rushed down the stairs, immense fear and uneasiness overcoming her. She already lost her husband. The last thing she needed was to lose her children. "Oh, God," she cried, scrambling to get to the phone

"Mom."

Hearing Alaiya's sweet voice caused her to turn. There was her daughter, safe and sound, but with a big mess on her face.

"Oh, honey, I'm so glad you're okay," she got down on her knees and longingly embraced her daughter. "Where's your brother and sister?"

"In the kitchen," she answered like her mom was going crazy.

Relief washed over her. "Why are you covered in chocolate syrup," she asked while examining Alaiya.

Then, she thought of something. Her daughter only ate chocolate syrup when her husband cooked white chocolate flavored pancakes—their children's favorite. She hadn't made that since, _he_ was with them. She took a good whiff, and she smelled the sweetness of them cooking. She left her daughter where she was and headed straight to the kitchen. Tears immediately rushed down, and she walked up to the man by the stove. He appeared dirty, his hair was sticking up everywhere, and his clothes looked like they had been through a paper shredder; it was almost like the first time they met, but with a little more clothing. At that point, she didn't care what he looked like or how bad he smelled because she accepted him with flaws and all. She almost didn't want to touch him because she thought he wasn't real. She thought she was in a dream. This was too good to be true. "Cole..."

He turned to her. "Yes, Alyssa," he replied nonchalantly, flashing a huge grin. He turned off the stove, and swooped his wife into his arms. He had been without her for so long; he almost forgot how great she felt. She appeared listless, extra bags were under her eyes, but she looked radiant to him. He placed hairs that were out of place behind her, so he could get a really good look at the love of his life.

"Look, mommy, Daddy's back," CJ, short for Cole Junior, announced with happiness. He was at the table with baby Anna strapped in her high chair.

"Yes, daddy is back," she wiped her tears, agreeing that he was there. This wasn't a dream. He was real, and he was back with her.

Finally.

Alaiya skipped back to the table and sat with her older brother and baby sister. "Hey, who ate all the pancakes," she pouted.

"You did," CJ shot back, telling her to look on her face for the evidence.

"Mom, Dad, CJ ate all the pancakes," she tattled on him while pointing her finger.

"Hey, hey, hey, there's plenty more where that came from," Cole calmed them down and brought over a plate full of them. The kids eagerly grabbed for them. He returned his attention back to his wife. "Why are you crying," he thought she'd be happy to see him home, not sad. Cole still didn't understand the concept of female's emotions.

"Because I thought, and you were.." she couldn't continue because all she wanted to do was stay buried in his arms and never let him go. "I love you, Cole."

"I love you too Mrs. Alyssa Lynn Concepcion Enrile-Evans," he said the mouthful, and he deeply kissed his wife.

She broke the kiss, needing some air. She resumed her duties as his wife in no time at all. "You need a bath and a toothbrush, and you also need to meet your daughter you never got to welcome into the world."

He laughed. "I already have when I picked her up from the crib, but I have all the time in the world, _for now,_" he claimed, and he left her side to tend to his youngest daughter. She was already holding her arms out for him to pick her up. His mind was still rattled, and there were blanks he was hoping she could fill. For now, he wanted to cherish these moments.

Alyssa brightly smiled, ignoring the last part. There were so many questions, but they could answered later. All she cared about was him being safe in this house and with their children. She picked up the phone, not caring what time it was, or if the other person was busy. "Hey, Kim, you won't believe what just happened..."

* * *

**A/N: **If it wasn't clear, here's the breakdown: Julian is Deker's Dad, who ends up becoming **Urumasa. Deker** is Julian's son, who was turned into the half human, half Nighlock. In this story, **Cole** was chosen somehow to assume Deker's curse. Later on, it will be explained how Cole became Deker. Hope you, as the reader, are able to catch on.


	16. Chapter 16- The Birthday

**Chapter 16- The Birthday**

**Xxxxx**

**October 2011  
Oliver House- Dino Thunder Base  
Reefside, CA**

Despite Zeltrax's successful decimation of the Dino Thunder Base in 2004, plenty of past rangers and affiliates donated and helped to rebuild the place. Millions of Earth dollars, along with millions of Zenemetars, which were the monetary unit throughout the galaxy, came together and paid for all the components to be fully restored along with two more extras—a gym and a kid friendly gaming center.

Tommy had been in the hidden base for the past two hours. He took off his eyeglasses, giving his tired eyes a rest from looking at fine print. He rubbed his temples in circular motions. He was glad Cole Evans, past Red Wild Force ranger, was back. After all, he blamed himself for Cole's sudden disappearance and had this belief if hehadn't sent the Evans family off to Nashville, Tennessee, the patriarch wouldn't have gone missing. He was now back with no memory of where he had gone to. Compelled, Tommy felt like he had to do some research.

Kim descended down the stairs. She stopped at the bottom step and watched her husband. He was really displaying an abundant amount of guilt over what's happened. From her point of view, he needed a release. She walked towards him and hovered behind his body. She began to massage his tightened muscles, which detracted due to her firm, yet feminine touch.

He grabbed her hands, stopping her. He swiveled his chair around and looked at every inch of her body closely. He used his larger hands, and he examined the crevices of her, which caused her to moan. He cupped her voluptuous ass and easily picked her up, so she could sit on his lap. He began to kiss her so hotly and feverishly.

As a result, Kim began to grind against him and unbuttoned his shirt. She made sure not break any contact, and they continued in their merriment for the next hour.

"Where are the kids again," Tommy asked, seeming to forget about the world when he entered the land of erotica. He began to grab a towel from the gym, and he wiped himself off. Grabbing a clean one, he wrapped it around his lower torso. He tossed another one over to his wife.

She smiled. "Having a sleepover with your parents," she replied, and she headed to the closet. There were extra clothes and robes in there. She opted for a robe. While tying the silky, pink cover, she wanted to speak with him about their daughter and how worried she was. "We have to be careful with Sophia and Brennan."

Her daughter and Brennan, Jason and Trini's first born child, were like two peas in a pod. They were the best of friends, and they were very flirtatious with one another. Kim would watch Sophia toss her head back, her hair perfectly blowing in the wind, and laughing at a joke from Brennan—some funny, others weren't. Brennan would always find a way to somehow touch her daughter too. Whether it's a playful tackle while sparring, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear, or simply locking fingers together.

Their relationship was reminiscent of Kim and Tommy or Jason and Trini, which caused Sophia's mom to become rather uneasy over the development.

"Is there a particular reason." he questioned, a little oblivious to her concerns.

Kim eagerly nodded. "Oh, you can't be that blind, can you," she asked in disbelief.

"Yes, please do tell," he mildly begged not understanding where his wife was coming from.

"They like each other," she revealed, and he looked even more denser than he was before. "He likes her, she likes him, and when two people like each other _things_ occur."

"Are you surprised?"

"Of course I am. She's way too young to be dating, especially someone who is like her brother," Kim shook her head at the thought. He was about to open his mouth. She glared at him, already knowing he was about to bring up their past_._ Her husband should know by this time the words in that _letter_ were fabricated.

He retracted but recovered not too long later. "What about Jason and Trini? A lot of people thought they were too close like brother and sister, but they defied the odds and are happily married with three kids."

He witnessed the whispers and rumors spread about his best friend and her best friend. High school students could be so crude, and he believed it was their time in Switzerland together that's made them the couple they were today. Obviously, Jason strayed when he began to date the biker, Emily. However, he knew he could never be without Trini. Everyone, including Tommy and Kim, saw that.

"But-"

"And, there's also Rocky and Aisha," her husband added as a second thought. "They've known each other since elementary school. Best friends _can_ become lovers."

"But-"

"No," Tommy interjected quickly. He seriously looked at Kim, wondering where her sudden possessiveness of Sophia was coming from. "I'm not saying we shouldn't watch out, but I'm saying Sophia is her own person. She's hitting, or already has hit puberty for goodness sake. Are you telling me by the time you hit puberty you never had a crush on someone, or were you just waiting for me," he arrogantly smirked at her.

She rolled her eyes. "I've had plenty of crushes on other guys and other guys had plenty of crushes on me," she quickly pointed out. "Look, I just don't think our daughter should be dating this soon. I love Brennan with all my heart, he's my Godson after all, and I'd definitely give him my blessing to date our daughter, but not at this age."

Tommy sighed. "Is this about Sophia or Jayden," he asked earnestly. "Better yet, is this about you?"

"What," she almost yelled. If there wasn't so much equipment in the lair, she believed her scream would've caused the place to rumble.

The accusation about her opposition to her daughter having a love life was absurd. Any mother would feel that age, 13, was way too young to fully comprehend and participate in matters of the heart.

Multicolored ranger, as he's been dubbed by the several former rangers, was a little dense when it came to some budding relationships. However, he knew his wife inside and out. He listened to her needs, took care of her, and he loved her with all of his heart. He was quite worried about her, as of now. She was a mom, a wife, owner to one clothing store, and heavily involved in trying to open up another. When needed, she would help at Bulkmeier's, all the while, trying to find her first child. He was surprised his wife hasn't landed in the hospital over the stress she's accumulated.

And, when it came to Sophia, Kim went extremely over the edge, borderline acting as if she was a bodyguard. She was overbearing, way too protective, and he knew why. This was way deeper than 'she's my baby girl'. This had to do with her past.

"It's about you and your mom," he figured, and she looked like she was ready to pulverize him. He nodded it would be okay because he was opening up old wounds. "You're worried that Sophia is going to follow in your footsteps and start hiding things from you like you did with your mom."

"No, that's not it at all," she tersely denied, not able to face her husband. She was suddenly wounded into his arms and looked up at him. His chocolate eyes earnestly looked at her. She surrendered. She was used to being right, but this time around, he was.

"Not everything you hid was bad, Beautiful. Zordon gave us rules he expected us to abide by as rangers. There were plenty of times we missed school, we came home late, and we had tons of bruises and no reasons of why. We began to have sex, and of course, we had to hide that. You got pregnant with Jayden, and to this day, you still haven't told her," he thoroughly reasoned. From the hurt displaying in her topaz eyes, he definitely hit a sore spot. "Am I right?"

"You are," she had to admit she never thought she was being so hard on Sophia was because of her past.

He smiled in victory, but this wasn't the time to gloat. "It's hard to know she's growing up. I can admit that. She's very, very beautiful, her personality is extroverted, she's well likable, and her physical abilities are truly heaven sent, along with Ninjetti sent," he highly spoke of their daughter. "Another thing, you have to also realize you wouldn't know what to do in this kind of situation because one, you've never been through this as a parent, and two, you're completely jaded because of you see teenager Kimberly in her."

"I can't help it," she murmured into his chest. She was now feeling guilty over the way she's been treating Sophia. "She's not me, and I believe she wouldn't start having sex as early as we did. I'm not trying to push her away, and I'd like our mother-daughter relationship to be a close one. Where we could tell anything to each other."

"You _are_ close. She loves you and not because she knows you're the only mother she will have, it's because you are there for her and you shower her with love and affection. You are helping her flourish into a beautiful person. So what, her and Brennan start dating, we should be able to trust them. She hasn't given us a reason not to, and until that happens, just let them be." He knew this wasn't the easiest thing as parents to face, but together they could conquer a hurdle like this.

"Since when you did become a professional at parenting," she wondered, while looking up at him.

"It's just a lucky guess. I suppose, but when Sophia spoke about what happened with fighting those foot soldiers, and you complaining about it, and now this, I kind of figured you were seeing yourself in her somehow. Has she even told you about Brennan?"

"I'll admit she hasn't, but it's probably because I would end up overreacting. We really have never been through something like this before, and I wish there was a manual, but there isn't."

"Kind of makes you wish we could've had a chance with Jayden, huh," Tommy thought raising boys was a little easier. When Tristan came along, he thought he got a second chance. Everything he would've done with Jayden, he now got to do with his youngest son. He was thankful for Tristan, and he loved him so much. That still didn't stop how he felt and would always feel for his first born, on the other hand.

"Yeah," Kim responded with a half smile.

Jayden was turning 18 soon. They've missed plenty of milestones: crawling, walking, talking, first day of kindergarten, driving a car, and dating. Kim, as a mom, could only imagine the advice she would've given her son. when it came to the opposite sex. Maybe, she would have been a little easier on him because he was male. She really wished to know how his adoptive parents have raised him to be, what was he going to do for his future, and most all, did he know if he was adopted.

"What's all this about?" She looked over at the papers spewed on a table.

"Just trying to read about the place where Alyssa and Cole went camping. I'm wondering if there was something we missed," he replied, as he went to turn off the computer.

Kim didn't like the sound of that. "There, as in something intergalactic," she curiously asked, as she turned some her way, so she could read. "Tell them to come home," she demanded. "I want _all_ of them home. Obviously nothing has come out of it."

In addition to Cole, Alyssa, Bulk and Spike being apart of this mission, so were Kelsey and Ryan, past Yellow and Titanium Lightspeed ranger, respectively, Maya and Damon, former Yellow and Green Lost Galaxy ranger, respectively. Also, Nick and Maddie, Red and Blue Mystic Force ranger. Also,on board this crazy bandwagon were Shane, Dustin, Marah and Kapri, all rangers related to the Wind Ninja Academy. These rangers and associates voluntarily chose to leave the comforts of their established home and move to a completely different environment and be surrounded by people unknowing of their second jobs. They wanted to do something like this, and they were enjoying their time in their assigned city.

The news of Cole's sudden disappearance into thin air spread around the ranger world like wildfire. When the cops seemingly gave up and labeled it as a 'man, who was having a midlife crisis', the former rangers stepped in. Others, who were more technical, helped Alyssa and her children to move back to Turtle Cove. They also assisted her with adjusting to life without her husband.

When the rangers' search was deemed unsuccessful, Kim wanted this ludicrous idea put to an end. Tommy rang every single one of them and asked for their return home. The only people to return were teachers for the Wind Ninja Academy. He only believed that was because Sensei Kanoi needed their help. Other than that reason, they would've stayed in Atlanta.

"Kim, I've already tried to get all of them to come back, but they don't want to. I'm not their parent, and I can't tell them what to do. What's done is done," Tommy calmly said. "I know, what's happened with Cole shocked everyone, but what's even more shocking is the fact he's back with no memory of what's happened!"

"Well, reading this isn't going to give us a clue," she muttered, as she browsed the other stack. "Why doesn't he get examined by Andros?" She liked to think the Astro Megaship III had technology that was way more advanced than Tommy's.

"I'd hate to break him away from his family over this. He wasn't there for Anna's birth, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to leave her side," he noted, thinking more about it. When he was in the amber for close to half the school year, he remembered how awful he felt just to miss Sophia's qualifying gymnastics meet. So, he could only imagine how the past Red Wild Force ranger could be feeling. He definitely had a lot to catch up on. "We should head upstairs. I'm sick of looking at this stuff."

Besides, he would hate to meddle in on the Evans' personal life. He's already done enough of that.

A naughty idea popped into her head, while a devilish grin appeared on her lips. "More, Dr. Oliver," she grabbed the knot of his towel and turned to the stairs. While not breaking the hold, she made him move his feet forward. He quickly slapped her ass. She giggled, and they headed to the bedroom.

**Xxxxx**

**Hart the Boutique  
Panorama City, CA**

Kim dropped by the shop. She accidentally forgot her tablet. She obviously wasn't thinking well or clearly. She entered through the back and turned off the alarm. She walked to the office and grabbed the rectangular item and tucked the item safely in her bag.

Before leaving, she took a good look at her store.

She carefully thought about when the opening was to happen. She decided for February 2, 2012. That would be after the melee of the major holidays like: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. And, happened to be after the wedding between Dillon and Summer Landsdown, Black and Yellow RPM ranger, which was also going to double as a Power Ranger reunion. Every incarnation was set to attend. Even the rangers hailing from Aquitar, as there was going to be special, aquatic contraption built for them, so they could preserve their form. This was going to be the wedding and reunion of the century.

Kim believed there were so many events coming up, and she couldn't wait!

Everything was in order, so she punched in the code, locked the door, and she was on her way. She looked at the time and cursed. She fumbled in her purse, seeking her cell phone. She was about to be late for the special occasion that was happening at her house. Close to 40 people, a mix of adult and children, were going to be at the Oliver house to celebrate her first born child's birthday. She was running late and still had things to pick up. In the midst of trying to dial her husband and looking for a list of items still needed, she accidentally bumped into someone.

The first Pink ranger of Earth felt pangs of shock starting to where off.

"Oh no," she, then, overheard a female's voice grumble.

She looked in the direction of the voice. There were two people there. A young gentleman, wearing green and a pretty female in yellow.

"Em, are you okay," a male voice, this time, asked, concern clearly evident.

Kim observed the two. She bit her bottom lip nervously, watching them. Her eyes followed where they were looking. Next to them, on the ground, was a carnation pink cake box with what should've been a cake peeking out. As a result of their mishap, white icing, clumps of vanilla cake, and she could only imagine, if there was writing on the cake, looked to be smeared now. They were trying to salvage the thing.

"I am so sorry," the Crane Ninjetti genuinely apologized. She hoped they weren't mad.

"It's fine," the younger woman shooed her words away.

The male checked on Kim. "Are you okay?"

Kim could only nod, as she wasn't the one carrying a cake. Again, she examined them, and then her gaze went back to the discombobulated, sweet concoction on the filthy ground. She couldn't help but think she ruined this.

"Was that a birthday cake," the past Pink ranger curiously questioned in a somewhat trance. Her chest tightened because she missed her eldest child. She never got to watch him blow out his first candle.

"Yeah, it's our friend's birthday today," the guy said, wondering way she was staring awfully hard at the smooshed cake. He hoped she was alright, and that the sudden bump didn't cause an underlying issue. "Ma'am, are you really okay?" She still didn't say anything, which was a cause for worry. He softly touched her shoulder. "Ma'am?"

Brought out of her stupor, she quickly nodded. "Sorry," she said once more. "It's destroyed," she pointed and knelt down, so she could scoop up the remains. She handed it off.

"Yeah, we can always get another one," the young woman said and accepted the box from Kim. She forgot the others pitched in for the cake, and she only had five dollars on her. She sighed because now she wasn't sure how they would pay for second one. "We need to hurry, the others are waiting for us."

"How are we going to pay for another cake," he tried to lowly whisper, but the operative word was try. He once again didn't do a good job. "I don't have any more money."

For their efforts and knowing how important this day must be for their friend, them, and how important this day was for her, Kim piped up. "I'll pay for the other cake," she volunteered. She didn't mean to be nosy and eavesdrop, there was an obvious dilemma.

"We can't let you do that," the female opposed while grabbing her male counterpart's hand, so they could go.

"Please," Kim took a step forward, almost begging them to let her do this. Uncertainty frolicked on their faces, but a minute later they agreed. "Great. I'm Kim by way," she introduced herself while holding out her right hand.

"Mike," the guy shook her hand.

"Emily," the female said, and she shook her hand as well. "You really don't have to do this, if you don't want to." Kim, this time, shooed her words away. "The bakery is this way," she pointed to the left, and the trio walked.

"Yeah, this is really cool of you," the sole male graciously said. "Are you from around here," he asked.

Kim shook her head. "I'm from Reefside, originally from Angel Grove actually," she answered, while following them. "I'm here because of my shop. I'm about to open one. Emily, I think you'll like it," she promised, since her boutique catered to girls and women only. Sizes ranged from zero months to size 24. Her shop would have a variety for babies, toddlers, pre-teen, teen, petite, and women.

Emily always loved shopping. As they were about to be at the bakery, Kim's words replayed in her mind. "So, you must know our friend, Antonio," she reasonably deducted.

"The fisherman," Kim questioned, thinking this was such a small world. They nodded. "Are you his friends? Is it his birthday today," she fired inquiries off, as Mike opened the door. She entered the place and was amazed by the goodies in here. She thought about placing an order to take back to Reefside.

"No," Emily giggled a bit, getting back to her queries. "It's for our friend, _Jayden._ It's his birthday today."

Kim had been looking at the array of desserts, but she soon became distracted. She whipped her head up so rapidly, her neck unexpectedly cracked. This world was _way_ too small. Jayden, the name rang in her head a couple of times, making her believe they were talking about her son. That couldn't be true though. The thought of him being so close was a one in a seven billion chance. She believed she had a better chance at winning the lottery

Anyways, Bulk would have said something. At least, she would've hoped so. She shook her head, dismissing the thought that her son had been in Panorama City.

"Oh, you're back," the cashier informally greeted, a little surprised, as Emily went to the counter. "Was there something wrong with the cake?"

"There was just an accident," Mike replied on Emily's behalf. "We'd like the exact same cake."

"Right, so a vanilla cake with white, cream cheese icing, and 'Happy 18th Birthday, Jayden'," the friendly female cashier remembered. She got one cake out of the display, and she went to the back and handed it off to the baker. She returned to her post and rang them up. "The total is $31.67."

"Hi, I'll be paying," Kim motioned for the lady, and she looked back at Emily and Mike. "Is there anything else you guys want? It's on me," she offered.

"Are you sure," Emily didn't want to impose.

Kim smiled and nodded.

"Wow, Kim, you're so nice," Mike complimented, and he ordered a smoothie. "What about the others," he asked Emily.

Kim pointedly interjected. "Of course you can order for them as well. I don't see a problem with it. This is your friend's birthday, and I still feel like I'm responsible for the other cake," she couldn't help but feel they were related to _her_ Jayden. After hearing this was their friend's 18th birthday, her hope soared.

Emily agreed, and she ordered for the rest of her friends and Mentor. She watched as Kim paid. The total came out to about $60 already, but then she watched as Kim went to the large cupcake display. She must have ordered close to five dozen cupcakes and another large cake too. Suddenly, the total was close to $175. With no hesitation, Kim took out her credit card and handed it over.

Emily only hoped she could become like Kim-financially stable.

Mike wondered if she was single, since he wouldn't mind a sugar mama.

"Kim, do you need help with walking all of this to your car," Mike queried, since she only had two hands.

"Thanks, I'd like that," Kim obliged. As they waited for final touches on the birthday cake, she asked some questions. "So, Mike and Emily, who else is going to be celebrating your friend's birthday?"

"Obviously Antonio, Mia, Kevin, and our Men-um," Mike nervously laughed and corrected himself, "Ji."

"Are you guys doing anything special for Jayden," Tommy's wife also inquired about. She felt this dire need to join them, but she didn't want to sound like a lunatic and possibly crash what they had planned. However, all she wanted was one look at their Jayden. That's all. A mother's intuition would tell her if that was her son or not.

"A dinner and maybe a movie. Right now, they're at the restaurant. We were bringing this cake, so we could eat this as our dessert," Emily responded, feeling unusually comfortable with someone she just met "This is extremely nice of you. You really didn't have to do all of this."

The Crane warmly smiled, since she liked these two already. "Hey, it's not a problem."

Once everything was ready, Mike assisted his new friend with bringing everything to her car. Emily, in one hand, held Jayden's birthday cake, and in the other she had a tray with drinks. Mike juggled holding a second tray of drinks along with a bag filled with boxed cupcakes. Lastly, Kim tightly grasped the extra cake she purchased along with the last bag of boxed cupcakes.

The Green ranger took a look and was in awe with her customized SUV. "Whoa," he said under his breath. "Is this your car?"

The first Pink ranger of Earth's car was one of a kind. She definitely incorporated her favorite color along with the favorite color her husband has ever sported. "Yeah, it is," Kim proudly stated, and she placed everything neatly inside. She turned back to them, and she didn't know how to phrase this important question. She would have to ask regardless of how ridiculous it sounded because she _needed_ to know. "Is it okay if I wish Jayden a happy birthday too?"

Mike and Emily didn't know what to think. The question was a little out of the blue, and she was nice. However, that didn't mean they should comply and take her back. Yet, she did pay for everything. Speaking privately, they didn't see any harm. Just a bit wary though, the two ended up giving in.

"It's right this way," Mike pointed to the bistro that was a couple of blocks down.

Kim thankfully nodded, unable to say anything else. She felt her heart race with each step she took. She fiddled with her hair, outfit, and purse; it was like she reverted back to the teen, who was about to give birth in the confines of the Command Center. She was extremely nervous, but reminded herself this may not be him. Of all places he was actually in Panorama City? The thought was ludicrous! She just didn't want to be disappointed. She walked inside with them. They headed to the back where, at a circular table, there were five others seated: a beautiful Asian with long black hair, an African American teen with nutmeg colored eyes, an older gentleman, who appeared to be Pacific Islander, more specifically Samoan or Tongan descent, Antonio with his perfectly gelled hair, and then, the young man, who she supposed was the reason for the cake.

Her eyes stayed on him, as he talked to the person he was seated next to. The female in pink. His hair was brown with blonde faintly streaking through. From what she could see, his profile showed his strong, jaw structure. She also saw his fondness for the color red. According to how his body was positioned above the table, she was positive he was pretty tall. All she wanted was a good look at his face. That would be the deciding factor, or at the very least, some hint.

Finally, Jayden turned to face Emily, Mike, and the sudden newcomer. She was older. Maybe past her mid twenties but not in her thirties. He was never good at judging ages anyways. He was curious as to who she was because there was something about her. He couldn't quite pinpoint what was making her stand out.

Softly gasping, Kim intently looked into his haunting blue eyes that displayed a little mystery behind them.

"Mrs. Oliver," Antonio called, surprised she was there. "What are you doing here? How do you know my friends?"

"Hey, Antonio," she managed to greet him, while keeping her eyes strictly on the man in red. She tore her eyes away and faced Antonio. "How are you?"

"I'm great. What are you doing here," the Gold ranger repeated his question and rose out of his seat. He passed by Mike and Emily, who took their seats, and he brought Kim into a side hug.

Kim apologized, sneaking another chance to look at Jayden before answering. "I'm sorry. I forgot something inside the store, and then there was a little incident," she softly laughed, while pointing towards Emily. "I bumped into your friend."

"And the cake dropped," Emily informed with a slight shrug. "So, she wanted to purchase another cake."

"And specialty beverages," Mike showed the drinks. He handed them out. Yeah, he thought it was tacky to bring outside beverages to a nice place, but there was no way to say no to her offer.

There was instant chatter from the other rangers and Mentor, saying their thanks and how kind she was to do this. A complete stranger, buying them drinks and a cake, was a class act.

Mentor Ji fiercely studied the older woman in front of him. He was definitely caught off guard by her presence. He wanted to find out why she took an interest in them.

"Mrs. Oliver that's so sweet of you," Antonio sipped his mocha frappuccino. "While you're here, let me introduce you to my friends. You know Mike and Emily. This is Kevin, Mia, Ji, and this is the birthday boy, Jayden. Everyone, this is Kim Oliver, she's the owner of the store I was telling you all about."

Kim shook hands with everyone, and when it finally came for her to shake Jayden's, she became overly anxious. He completely stood up straight. She took a breath before she took his hand into hers, and once their hands touched, she felt an earth shattering amount of calmness wash over her. She felt an instant connection, only mom and child would understand. She continuously shook his hand up and down, while deeply exploring his ocean, blue eyes. No longer was she a mom, wife, and business woman. She was a teen juggling school and being a superhero and somehow she had given birth with the help of her teenage boyfriend, a fully, sentient, multifunctional automaton, and a giant, floating head, since she remembered those were _his_ eyes.

Tears began to well, and she gracefully took her hand back.

"Happy Birthday," she wished, making sure to keep her emotions in check.

"Thank you," Jayden acknowledged, as he sat back down. Honestly, she looked familiar, but he was more concerned over her well-being. He could've sworn there was a hint of water gleaming in her light brown eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she replied, refraining herself from fainting right there on the spot.

With the actuality of having her first son, the one she gave up for adoption 18 years ago, standing right in front of her, the flurry of emotions were hard to contain. She wanted to desperately ask questions to see if this was him, but she was in a stunned and bewildered state. This was too good to be true, but for her sake, she vied for this to be true. Her husband had been searching, past rangers had been searching and for goodness sake, she had been searching for him.

This _**has**_ to be him.

"Mrs. Oliver, do you need a cup of water," Mia wondered, since the older woman appeared to be frazzled or overwhelmed. She was about to request the waiter, but was stooped by a head shake from her. The Pink ranger observed the apparent looks between the person that held her heart and the older woman, who was named Kim.

Kim was about to say something, but her cell phone rang. She politely excused herself and took the call.

"Hello," she greeted her husband.

_"Beautiful, where are you? I thought you just had to pick up your tablet."_

"Oh, right," she seemingly forgot the time. As much as she didn't want this moment to end, this wouldn't be fair to everyone, who was at their home in Reefside, nor would this be fair to Jayden, on his birthday. Understandably, she was quite torn over this predicament. Instead of making a fool out of herself, she wanted to be positive this was her son. She'd do research at home. She had to find out more about Ji, since she believed that was the adoptive parent. "I'll be home soon," she promised.

_"Alright, I was getting worried. Everyone is almost here, you know."_

"Right," she whispered into the phone. "I love you."

_"I love you too."_

She walked back to the table, shortly after ending the call. "Um, Antonio, I'll see you at the opening. I hope the rest of you can come," she invited them all. "Enjoy the cake and drinks and your guys' dinner. Mike and Emily, thank you for letting me tag along," she was obviously rambling due to the jitters of being this close to her possible son. "And, uh, Jayden, Happy Birthday," she lovingly wished once more. She stayed for a little bit longer to catch another good look at him, and then she left.

Mentor watched the woman, having felt she bore a resemblance to his student, who became a man today. He turned back to Jayden and again his gaze fell on the petite woman, then shortly returned back to the man next to him. He thought that would be a long shot. The odds were one in a billion. He shook his head and returned his attention to the people seated with him.

**Xxxxx**

**One Hour Later  
Oliver House**

She parked directly in the back, choosing to go through the secret entrance instead. As soon as her feet touched the grass, that surrounded her home, she immediately dashed towards the door. She pressed the hidden button and waited to enter, ignoring the cars of her closest and dearest friends. They were already there, ready to celebrate, but she couldn't do so yet.

She vigorously wiped the tears that were coming down by buckets.

A million thoughts caused her brain to scramble. She had to admit she could've caused accidents or gotten tickets with the way she swerved in between cars, dumbly turned from one lane to another, and her speed was up to 90 MPH. Well over the average of 75 MPH. All she could think about was going home, digging up information on this Jayden, the others with him, and especially Ji. In addition, she had to fight herself from driving back to the place they were at.

The part in the movie, 'Legally Blonde', about reckless abandonment also popped into her mind that was already riddled with abundant jumbles. She didn't want to look crazy to them by accusing Jayden was her son.

She immediately sat at the computer Tommy and Hayley would share during their Dino Thunder days, and she began typing in the key words: Ji, Jayden, and Panorama City. She waited, and she could hear her phone ringing. However, that would have to wait.

This was more important.

* * *

**A/N: Stayed tuned for the next chapter. It will be a special one. **


	17. Chapter 17- The Realization

**A/N:** Takes place immediately after the last chapter.

**A/N: **I know my last foot note mentioned the 'next chapter will be a special one', but it's this chapter and the next one that will be special. In this chapter, I'm writing a missing moment from 'Clash of the Red Rangers'.

**Chapter 17- The Realization**

**Xxxxx**

**November 2011  
Oliver House  
Reefside, CA**

As Kim was in the lair, Tommy was upstairs riddled with concern. His wife wasn't there yet.

"Dad, where's mom," Sophia worriedly asked, as she walked into the other living room he was seated at. "Everyone is here already."

A pregnant Kat was with her husband, Mike, and they were talking to Ethan and his fiancee, Melissa, who he met at MIT. Billy and his wife, Hayley, were in another room of the house because she was breastfeeding their newborn son, Landon. Trini, Aisha, Elsa, Tanya, and a pregnant Kira were in the kitchen preparing meals for the night. Their husbands: Jason, Rocky, Anton, Adam, and Conner were in the backyard with Justin, his fiancee, Gia, Zack and Angela. Brennan, Rocky Jr, Adrian and Ahmad were lounging and drinking sodas. All the while Kayla, May, Kaylani, and Nadia were playing games with Bailey, Tristan, Bridge, along with Trent, his wife, Krista, who used to be the object of Conner's affection, but was now the apple of Trent's eyes, and their one year old son, Darren.

"I don't know, Soph," his eyes averted from his phone to see her. "Last time I spoke to her she said she was on her way home. She sounded a bit weepy to be honest."

"Well, today is _his_ birthday. He's technically an adult now," Tommy and Kim's only daughter pointed out. "That's a cause for any parent to become a little teary eyed." She was about to say something else, but was stopped.

"Are you okay," Brennan asked, comfortingly cupping the middle of her lower back. He had been looking for her.

She turned and faced him. She gave a slight nod. "She has to be home," she practically cried. "This is too important to her."

He placed his arms around her waist and brought her in for a very intimate hug. He kept her protectively wrapped in his arms, and he wouldn't let go until she calmed down. "She'll be here," he said.

Kim's suspicions were right. Tommy watched the two interact, and they were a little too close for comfort. His fatherly instincts told him to kick his Godson's ass all the way back to the living room, but he was also a man of his word. He let them be, unless there was a reason to intervene. Brennan was stepping up to the plate as a friend. He genuinely cared for his daughter's well-being, and as a dad, that was a great quality to bare witness to.

Sophia loved being in Brennan's arms. "You're right, but where could she be?" She was beginning to think the worst had happened. She looked at her dad, who's face became a question mark so suddenly. "Dad?"

His eyes almost bugged out of their sockets. There, on his phone, was his wife's coordinates. The large, red dot, dead and center, was on 1992 Valencia Dr. "That can't be right," he muttered under his breath. He got up from the chair, left the two teens to be by themselves, and headed down the hall. In the living room, there were plenty of people, but none matching his wife's petite body and caramel locks of hair. He entered the kitchen, not too long later. His wife wasn't there either. He heard the laughter from outside filtering into the house. He stepped to the backyard.

"Hey, Tommy, come join us," Jason prompted by holding up an ice cold brew for his best friend. He watched Tommy. "What's going on?"

The rest of the people in the backyard immediately stopped talking and wondered what was happening.

"Uh, Dr. O," Conner tried to get his attention.

"Huh, yeah, you're right," Tommy mindlessly blubbered. The astounding placement of that pixelated, red ball on his phone just didn't make sense. Once more, he entered the house. His wife's arrival would've elicited a warm and audible welcome from their friends. Hearing that hasn't happened, he knew something wasn't right. He continued to check around his home.

The guests outside were still baffled by Tommy's odd demeanor.

"What was that about," Adam asked, as he placed his drink on the table.

"Must be about Kim," Anton figured. "You know, she still isn't here."

"That's true," Justin agreed, while thinking harder.

Gia looked at everyone. "She wouldn't miss this party, would she?" As Justin's fiancee, she had grown to love these past rangers. The surprising secret was admitted to her on the night the former Blue Turbo ranger proposed. She was shocked, but honored to know.

Rocky shook his head. "Of course she wouldn't. It's Jayden's birthday today. We've been celebrating his birthday for the past three years. She wouldn't miss this even if she was caught on fire," he replied seriously.

"Unless..." Zack didn't want to think something horrible might've happened to his childhood friend.

"Come on," Angela urgently said, which caused everyone to stand up and reenter the home.

Kira was chopping lettuce and looked up when she saw her husband enter the house. His face was full of determination. "What's happening," she questioned, while dropping what was in her hand. She quickly left to join the move to the living room.

The other females occupying the kitchen soon followed. They felt something was wrong.

Now, everyone congregated into the living room. They were tightly packed in there like sardines. The adults and children scanned one another, appearing awfully confused at this point.

"Is there a problem," Kat's Australian accent voiced.

"We think there is," Jason answered. "Haven't you noticed there's someone missing?"

The others inquisitively browsed.

"Where's Auntie Kim," May, one of Jason and Trini's twins, questioned.

"Wait, there's a few more missing," Francesca, Anton and Elsa's daughter, noted.

Kayla, the other twin daughter of Jason and Trini second that. "Uncle Tommy isn't here."

"Wait, where's Brennan," Trini glanced around. She hadn't seen him either.

"Sophia isn't here too," Ethan added, as he took in his surroundings.

"It must have to do with what Tommy saw on his phone," Anton further speculated.

"And what was on his phone," Tanya, this time, asked.

"Why don't you ask me," Tommy descended down his steps, partly overhearing the conversation that was happening. He was pleasantly surprised to see his house was able to accommodate the large amount of people. In a second, Tristan ran up to him, and he scooped his son into his arms.

"Where's Mommy," Tristan inquired, as he laid his head in the crook of Tommy's neck.

"And, what's on the phone Fearless Leader," Aisha queried while being wrapped in Rocky's arms.

"Does it have to do with Auntie Kim," Bailey hoped.

"Is that why _all_ of you are in the living room," The Falcon questioned, raising one eyebrow.

"Well, yeah, we are kinda wondering where Kim is," Trent replied, as he shifted his son from one shoulder to the other.

Krista was the next to speak. "Sophia and Brennan aren't here either. Come to think of it, the last thing I remember was Sophia went to look for you, and then Brennan went to look for Sophia," she revealed.

Rocky Jr. lightly elbowed Adrian to get his attention. "I bet you he's tapping it," he jokingly whispered.

Adrian, the first born of Adam and Tanya, found that to be disrespectful and shushed his best friend. "Doubt it. He can't even go to first base," he denied in a low voice.

Adam and Tanya's only daughter overheard. "Shut up," Kalyani growled, upset that they would think that of their best friends. She wanted to smack the two. "Don't talk about them like that."

"What were they saying," Nadia, Rocky and Aisha's daughter, felt left out. Kaylani whispered to her. "No way! They wouldn't do that."

The children of Power Rangers were very close. Most attributed that to them guarding a secret close their heart. The six sons and daughters who were very close to one another happened to be: Rocky Jr, Adrian, Kaylani, Nadia, Brennan and Sophia. They were roughly around the same age. Brennan was like the leader of the group. Sophia had the biggest heart and cared for everyone. Kaylani was the protector, while Rocky Jr. possessed the class clown type of personality. Adrian was the brains of the group, and finally, Nadia was the innocent, quirky one. They would hang out often, whether it was at school or going to each other's houses.

"No way, what," Melissa overheard. Her tone was casual yet knowing. She had been dating Ethan for over six years, found out his double life in their second year of dating, so she's been around them for awhile. She knew something romantic was brewing between the Oliver and Scott kid. Eventually, it was going to boil over, and the result would be young love.

"Huh, what's going on," Billy's curiosity was sparked and looked towards them.

Hayley smoothly rocked her son back and forth. Looking at her husband only, she said what was on her mind. "They should share what they were talking about. Because it would help us find at least, Brennan and Sophia, right?"

"Right," they nervously chorused.

"Alright then, what were you four talking about," Trini seriously questioned, and she had a very stern look on her face while gripping her hips in a threatening manner.

Not only was she looking at them angrily, but so were their parents. Someone had to speak up, or they would be in very, big trouble.

"Someone's in trouble," Ahmad crooned. His parents reprimanded him.

"They're hiding something," Bridge sensed, and he walked up to them. Even at six years of age, he's been exhibiting signs of psychometry, the ability to feel auras. He simply waved his hand and stood for a moment, trying to understand. Once he figured it out, he immediately turned to the wall that was opposite to him. "Uncle Mike."

"Yes," Mike Corbett, Kat's husband and former Magna Defender of Lost Galaxy, cleared his throat. He was still surprised by the abilities Power Ranger children possessed.

"Move this way," Bridge's fingers swayed. Once Mike moved, his hand gestured to the right. He stopped and repeated his action once more. Unexpectedly, he picked up a heartbeat faintly beating within one of his aunts. He stroked beneath his chin, trying to figure out where the sound was emitting from. His eyes stopped on the female with mahogany hair and who used to fight his mom. "Aunt Elsa's about to have another child," he nonchalantly revealed.

"What," Anton and Francesca almost screamed at the surprising news. Elsa also became stunned.

Frankly, the whole entire room was shocked.

Conner and Kira placed their knees on the ground. They were right in front of their son and made sure they heard him correctly.

"Elsa's pregnant," the former Yellow Dino Thunder ranger asked. Bridge nodded.

"So, you're saying, even at their old age they can still make kids," Conner mindlessly questioned. He received a resounding smack from his wife. "What?!"

"Yes, Aunt Elsa _is_ carrying a child," Bridge adamantly stated. Again, he concentrated on the wall. In the midst of others congratulating Elsa on being pregnant, fanning Anton upon hearing the news, and Francesca being excited about becoming an older sister, he still continued in his activity. There were definitely distinct movements happening. He cocked his head to the right, then the left, and then back upright. "Why is Sophia on top of Brennan," he ignorantly wondered. "Are they playing a game? Can I join," his rounded eyes were puppy like when he was talking.

The guests minus the younger kids discerningly looked at one another. They had to find a way to slip out of there because they knew Tommy was about to flip a gasket.

"Brennan," Tommy irately barked, as his eyes became a menacing green color. He swiftly placed Tristan down and headed to his daughter and Godson.

Francesca was the first to say something. "Is Uncle Tommy mad," she obliviously asked.

"Um, I don't think he's happy right now," Tanya nicely responded, knowing Tommy was going to beat the snot out of Brennan.

"We should start eating," Aisha interjected and nervously laughed. "After all, Elsa is pregnant, and there's other pregnant people, plus I'm sure Rocky and my kids are hungry too."

"We are," her husband and kids repeated as a question.

"Yes," the Bear growled and escorted them to the kitchen, along with Tristan.

After hearing several curse words that made them all flinch, the rest of the occupants scurried towards the backyard.

"Did I do something wrong," Bridge innocently queried, as he was led away.

"Sweetie, of course not," Kira replied in a motherly fashion.

"Yeah, you did," Conner carelessly muttered. His wife glared at him. "Oh, I mean, no. You did great!"

Meanwhile, Jason and Trini trailed Tommy. They found their son and Goddaughter sitting practically a football field's length apart. Their faces were turned to the wooden floor, and Sophia self consciously covered her body. Brennan tried his best to ignore the strict words of his Godfather.

"Kim did say watch out for Sophia and Brennan but did I listen? Noooo... I defended you two. I said let them be, we should trust them," he rambled like a bumbling fool.

"Tommy," Jason futilely reprimanded him.

Sophia's dad continued not hearing Jason's plea. "And here you two are, kissing like you guys know what you're doing," he hissed. "13 years olds should not be making out like... making out like..."

"You and Mom," Sophia spat, as she stood up.

Trini's eyes grew wide at the sudden defiance, while Jason knew it was going to come down to this. Brennan admiringly looked at Sophia; she was always there for him.

"This has nothing to do with me and your mom," Tommy angrily retorted.

Sophia disagreed. "This does to, and you know it," her eyes flashed green too.

"Uh oh, we should go," Brennan knew that was the cue to escape. "Is the food ready," he changed the subject and was about to walk out, but his mom stopped him. She definitely looked none too pleased with his current actions. "Am I in trouble?"

"Big time," Trini lividly answered. She made her son sit down again. "Exactly what were _you_ thinking?! This is disrespectful to both Tommy and Kim, your Godparents. Have you even thought how embarrassed me and your dad would be?! What about your sisters, huh!"

"Who cares about them," he replied, feeling attacked. "How would you guys be embarrassed? Sophia and I were alone in this room. What did you expect us to do?!"

The first leader of Earth held Trini back, since his wife was a little emotional right now. "Not make out," he replied softer than her. He looked at his son and Goddaughter. "Express the way you like each other in different ways."

"You know I like her," Brennan stated with bravado. "She likes me. We choose to express our like for each other _this_ way."

Sophia nodded, and she sat back down with Brennan. This time closer than before. She clasped her hand with his. "I'm not saying we are in love. I don't think we know what that is yet," she smiled while looking at him. "We just know our feelings are stronger than we expected."

Brennan didn't take his eyes off of her, while he spoke. "I care about her a lot, and I do want to be there for her. If I put my arms around her, it's only because I want her close to me. If I choose to hug her, it's because I want her to know she's protected. And, if I choose to kiss her, it's to show my feelings are real."

The three adults gazed at one another, and then looked at the kids, who were acting more like adults. This was the last thing they expected to happen between their children. Jason figured this natural between the two, while Trini couldn't believe her son still displayed irreverence for the people closest to him. Tommy definitely felt the need to strangle his Godson and reprimand his daughter. Sophia, on the other hand, loathed, what she felt was disapproval from them.

Kim finally came up the stairs. While refreshing her makeup, she decided to let everyone know about her findings. As she walked into the living room, she realized it was bare. She walked to the kitchen and saw everyone was already outside. She remained a bit hidden, as she noticed there were some people missing: her husband, her daughter, her Godson and best friends. She furrowed her brows, and she walked to the other living room.

The animosity in the air was pretty obvious.

"What's going on," she finally questioned, and the quintet turned to her. Sophia virtually launched herself into her mom's arms. Kim was overcame with even more emotion. She basked in the touch of her daughter's warm display of affection. "Sophia?"

"Mom, you know what it feels like," her daughter claimed, while her emotions were on the fritz. "You know what I feel towards Brennan is real. This isn't some joke."

Kim, still in the blue, asked what's been going on. Sophia told her every single detail—from when Bridge used his sense of auras to when Brennan stood up for her.

"Wait, Elsa's pregnant," was all Kim could gather.

"Mom," Sophia complained.

"Okay, okay," Kim smiled at her daughter. She took a deep breath and faced everyone in the room. "Let them be."

"What," Tommy, Jason, Trini, and even Brennan yelped in surprise.

The Crane once more nodded. With her overbearing nature, they were in disbelief that she would be so accepting. However, Kim had this epiphany. She wished to be more relaxed and understanding about everything that had to do with her children. Therefore, she accepted this more adult like relationship between Sophia and Brennan.

"Tommy, wasn't it you that told me I should trust them," she asked, as she approached him. He slowly nodded, trying to wrap his head around his wife's sudden change of heart. Proving her point, she beamed. Then, she turned to Trini. "And if I remember correctly, you told me it's just them being teens. It's no harm."

Trini bobbed her head. "Well, yeah, but Kim, this is different now," she calmly told her.

The first Pink ranger of Earth faced her best friend since childhood. "You have nothing to say because you probably didn't have a clue," she figured out quickly. "But knowing you, you approve of this. Don't you?"

"I do, but..." Jason was stumped. "Kim?"

Sophia, out of everyone in that room, was the most bewildered by her mom's defense. She thought that her mom would always see her as this little child. She even felt some resentment towards her long lost, older brother because she thought he was the reason behind her mom being a hard ass when it came to her. As of now, that didn't seem to be the case.

Life was too short in Kim's opinion. Tonight, she strongly knew she found _him._ For that, her heart was filled with a warmth she had never felt before. He was safe, he was handsome, and he seemed to have a great group of friends. She was confident he was living a decent life. As long as he was content, then everyone else should be too.

With that, her daughter's happiness depended on officially cementing her standing with Brennan. That meant Kim and Tommy along with Jason and Trini had to accept that they were going to become boyfriend and girlfriend.

"Dude, what happened to your mom," Brennan whispered.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," the determination was present in Sophia's voice. She walked up to her mom, grabbed her mom's hand and asked. "What happened?"

The tears were already welling in Kim's eyes. She couldn't contain what's happened any longer. "I found him," she confidently whispered.

The words startled her daughter. She had to make sure she heard her mom right. She took a deep breath before speaking. "Him, as in Jayden," she questioned. She saw her mom nod. "Oh, my, gosh," she placed a hand over her mouth, almost breaking down into tears herself. She really had an older brother out there, and she was ready to meet him.

Tommy stepped between the two ladies who were most important in his life. "What's going on?" He didn't know what to think. His wife was being lenient, and his daughter suddenly bursted into tears. He wanted to know what they were keeping from him. Sophia whispered. "What?! Where!? Let's go see him now," he eagerly demanded. He didn't know where to turn, he didn't know what to do, all he could feel was water prickling behind his eyes. This was actually happening. His son was found. He exhaled a breath of relief.

The Scott family questioningly watched the Oliver family. They were at a loss, not knowing what caused this emotional eruption.

Kim heavily breathed in. "Let's tell everyone," she wished. She immediately headed to the backyard with her husband and daughter closely following behind her.

Jason, Trini, and Brennan quickly went after them. They walked to the back and ended up joining the rest of their friends. They found their seats and sat. Tommy and Kim stood before them, already with drinks in their hand.

The rest of Zordon's 12, Dino Thunder rangers, associates and children curiously looked at them.

"My tears are happiness," Kim insisted while taking her precious time. "Jayden is in Panorama City," she inevitably confessed. Everyone cheerfully shouted, gave each other hugs, and asked even more questions. "Calm down," she managed to get their attention. "There's still something fishy about his situation though."

"What do you mean," Zack questioned in disbelief.

Happiness slowly died down in everyone at Kim's statement.

Tommy and Sophia were the most concerned.

"There's not a lot of information, but I'm positive it was _him,_" and she further explained.

**Xxxxx**

**December 2011  
Summer's House  
Corinth City**

Summer Landsdown, Yellow RPM ranger, was in a private room getting ready for her special day. She was waited on hand and foot by various people. There was someone working on her hair, nails, and even someone to wax her legs. There was another person helping to smooth her silky, strapless wedding gown, and there was another person coming to do her makeup.

She absolutely couldn't wait for her husband to take her last name. A little unconventional, but he didn't have a last name, at least, one he could remember right off the bat.

She looked into the mirror, and she saw her future sister in law walk in with the makeup kit.

"Are you ready," Tenaya, former evil villain and sister of Dillon, asked. She began to take the necessities out.

"Of course. Plus I can't wait for later, and you know why," Summer replied, as she closed her eyes for Tenaya to start sprucing up her outer lids.

Tenaya knowingly nodded. "What if they don't like me," she wondered, as she began to blend the eyeshadow.

Summer stopped her. She made everyone else get out the room, so they could have some private time. Once they were alone, she earnestly looked at the other woman. She knew she was going to feel this way, so she hoped she could provide some words of encouragement.

"They _will_ like you. There's plenty of them that have been turned bad and recovered with no problems. I can name some," Summer thought. "There's Karone, Elsa, Ryan, Merrick, wait no, I can't count Merrick, at least I don't think I can," she bit her lip but continued. "Then, there's Jason and Kimberly, they were dropped into a pit, Shane, Tori, Dustin, Jarrod, who used to be Dai Shi, and you can't forget the one who started it all, Tommy," she counted off.

"So, all of them have been evil?"

"One way or another, yes, and they're still accepted by others. You can't beat yourself up for what Venjix programmed you to do."

"Right, but I just don't want to make a bad impression."

The rangers of RPM haven't met any of the past rangers. Some were understandably nervous about being around such legendary people. They weren't sure how to act or be around them, but Summer wanted to bridge the gap. For that reason, she begged Dr. K to invite all of them to her wedding. Successfully, Dr. K managed to patch a message to Andros on the Astro Megaship III. Andros became an ambassador, and he helped to invite every single ranger and associates. In addition to having a wedding, there would be a ranger reunion. Over 100 guests were expected to attend.

Living in the domed city of Corinth for as long as they have been, they were a little unaccustomed to the outside world though. From what they remembered, they thought Earth had perished. However, they were assured Earth had been preserved due to a force from the galaxy. Happy to know, they were hoping to make a smooth transition from contained city to outside Earth. They had to take special precautions.

They were reassured that would be handled well.

"Trust me, they will. Some of guys will probably think you're hot, too," Summer added with a smirk. She waited patiently for her makeup to be done.

Tenaya's phone rang. She placed her makeup tools down and answered. Her face altered to confusion and concern, which alerted Summer that something was wrong. "What do you mean he went to battle alone?" She used her free hand to stop her sister in law. "I'm with her right now, you know. I'm doing her makeup."

_"Uh oh,"_ Ziggy, Green RPM ranger, smacked his head, though they couldn't see_."Just tell her to remain calm."_

Summer snatched the phone. "What's going on?! This is my wedding, and you aren't going to ruin this for me," she lividly snared.

Tenaya furiously rubbed her talisman.

_"Ah,"_ Ziggy squeaked in fear. Summer was bound to punch him in the gut.

"Ziggy, is that you?"

_"No,"_ he concealed his voice to try to sound like his fiancee._ "It's Dr. K."_

He failed. "Dr. K's voice is pretty high pitched. Ziggy, what the hell is gong on?!"

Ranger Green relented. _"It's Scott. He's already left for Earth."_

"Ah," Summer yelled this time around. She could feel perspiration surface, as she tended to do that when she became really worried. "What's going to happen to him?! He's not used to the difference!"

_"He's morphed. He didn't want you or any of us to come with him. He went to follow a bot named, Professor Cog. Dr. K picked up his signal while talking to that guy from space."_

"Andros?"

_"Right, I don't appreciate him talking to **my** woman."_

"Ziggy," Summer warned, knowing her friend was an insecure fellow.

Ziggy rolled his eyes. _"Anyways, Professor Cog is probably going to team up with the baddie out there. Scott went on our behalf. His last words, 'just help Summer with her wedding'..."_

Summer uneasily gulped. Upon meeting Scott Truman, she formed a crush on him. They had talks where they thought about possibly taking things further, but that was derailed when Dillon came into the picture. Dillon was a bit bullheaded, put up an icy front, and he kept Ziggy close to him. Very often, Dillon and Scott butted heads; each vying to be the leader of the Racing Performance Machine team. Despite the animosity, they came to a common ground. Scott even accepted the relationship between Dillon and Summer, since it was apparently flourishing. Turned out to be the best choice anyways because Tenaya and Scott ended up sparking their romantic feelings. However, that still didn't mean she didn't care.

"Okay, but if he's not here by the time the reunion starts, we're going to help him," she swore.

_"You got it."_

Summer looked at Tenaya, who was stroking the amulet given to her by Scott. "Hey, are you okay," she was obviously concerned. Scott's last words shouldn't have been about her. As much as it touched her heart, Scott was an idiot to not show concern about his girlfriend.

Tenaya nodded without looking at her. The amulet held significant meaning to the Truman family, as it belonged to Scott's deceased mom. Not too long ago, Scott gave this special necklace to his girlfriend as a promise. He promised when his life as Ranger Red was officially done and over with, he would fully commit himself to her.

"It's not going to stop, is it," she asked, bewildered.

"What?"

"This life of being a ranger. It's not going to stop, is it?"

"I'm not the person to answer. Let's ask past rangers and go from there," Summer wrapped her arms around her.

Gemma, Silver RPM ranger, came into the room. She hurriedly walked over to them. "Hey, hey, hey," she hyperactively greeted. "What's going on?! It's a wedding day, not a funeral!" Tenaya blubbered even more. "Ay, what happened," she got to wrap her arms around the former evil person and rubbed soothing circles, and gazed at Summer hoping for an explanation.

Summer used her finger to swipe her neck. "Not right now," she reproached, and she prayed Scott would make it out safely.

**Xxxxx**

**Two Hours Later  
Corinth City**

"Ooof," Antonio, Kevin, Mia, Mike, and Emily soundly grunted, as they fell out of the sky. There was a loud and resounding crash. The ground really did break their fall.

"Ay, dos mio," Antonio was the first to stand on his two feet. He helped the others, and then looked at their surroundings. "Where are we?"

Their backs were turned, forming a circle. They were in a city alright, but this city was different from their hometown. The air quality was inhumanely contrasting to the smog in southern California. There were various shops, forests in the far distance, gates for various purposes, and carts for food or shopping. As people passed, they kept their guards up, unsure of who to trust.

Kevin thought back to their battle. They were aiding Scott, Red RPM ranger, with a demon, It was unlike the Nighlocks they were used to, since it looked to be manufactured."I don't know, but come on, we need to find a way out of here. Jayden needs us," the Blue ranger became the stand in leader.

The rest of the rangers followed him.

Emily tapped a random person on the shoulder. "Excuse me, can you tell us where we are?"

"The domed city of Corinth," the older lady replied. She had curly gray hair was wearing a cream colored, crocheted shawl, blue dress with white daisies and skin colored stalkings with beige clogs. She responded to the Yellow Samurai ranger's inquiry, but looked at her weirdly. "Surely you know that."

"Uh, right, we would," the Yellow ranger faced her comrades, shrugging her shoulders. "Do you know how we can get back to Panorama City?"

"Panorama City," the woman questioned, not understanding her. She curiously looked at the rest of them. "You do know where you are, right," she repeated once more.

Meanwhile, Ziggy, Dillon, Gem, Gemma, Flynn, Tenaya, and Dr. K frantically ran around, trying to find the ranger energies they picked up not too long ago. They had been searching for the past ten minutes, hoping they could help them escape to their rightful home. If they didn't go back as soon as possible, then they knew they'd be stuck here and Scott would remain there.

Dr. K held the ranger detector, and she heard the sounds get increasingly louder. "According to this, they are that way," she pointed south.

"Alright, let's go," Dillon commanded, as he was now leader. He headed that way, but was then caught off guard by five people talking to a woman who looked like a grandma. He stopped running and cautiously walked towards them.

Tenaya watched her brother and halted her movements. She furrowed her brows. Then, Ziggy bumped into her followed by Gem, Gemma and Flynn. She shoved them off of her while keeping watch on him.

Dr. K casually walked up and stood next to Tenaya. The reading was at its strongest. She looked up, and then looked back down. "That's them," she confidently said while remaining alert. She had a bad feeling about the person they were talking to.

Together, they walked closer and stood behind Dillon.

"This is the domed City of Corinth," the older woman repeated once more, her voice harsher than before. "Panorama City? Isn't that where the Samurai rangers live," catching them off guard the woman transformed into a hideous version of Buddha and held a staff in its right hand. Roaring laughter exited its mouth.

"What the hell is that," Mike immediately took up a fighting stance.

Dillon was ready to fight too. The other RPM rangers plus his sister followed suit.

"I am General Gut, and I have some business to attend to. But don't worry, I'll leave you with a going away present," the hefty monster dropped a bomb on the ground. He laughed heartily and malevolently, watching in delight that everyone surrounding him was affected. In a flash of light, he disappeared.

The detonated item caused people within ten feet of it to collapse on the cement, and innocent civilians ran in horror and tried to take cover.

Moogers and Grinders surprisingly appeared next.

The Samurai and RPM rangers along with Dr. K and Tenaya struggled to get up, but without their protective, power suits they were injured more than usual. Multiple foot soldiers readily pounced on the weakened, grabbing hands, feet, whatever they could to disable the rangers from fighting back. Though, they were trying their best, they had much difficulty.

"Is this the welcoming committee," Mia said through gritted teeth. Her arm was twisted roughly, but she wasn't backing down anytime soon.

"What the hell are these things," Mike and Dillon shouted together. "Hey, don't copy me." They spoke in unison again. "Stop that!" They growled at each other.

"This isn't the time or place to fight with one another," Emily reminded them while feeling her legs spreading apart painfully.

Samurai Green and Ranger Black were still unexpectedly reading each other's minds. "It's not my fault. It's his," they glared.

Kevin groaned in frustration. "Come on! Get it together," he stressed.

"Yeah, he's right," Flynn, Blue RPM ranger, agreed, trying to break free.

"Yup, because we are all," Gem, Gold RPM ranger, began. "On the same side," Gemma finished. "Because as Power Rangers," Gem started once more. "We stick together," Gemma happily said, completing his sentence.

"They're twins, huh," Mia bent over and asked Dr. K, who was right next to her. The tech wiz with vast intelligence could only nod.

"I wish my hand could detach and destroy all of you," Dillon's sister snapped.

The Samurai rangers dauntingly stared at her.

Out of the blue, another person's voice was heard. "Looking for me boys!"

The Black RPM ranger knew that voice. That voice was angelic, and he was about to hear that voice for the rest of his life. He shut his eyes tightly, not wanting to take a peek. "Summer, no, don't, we can handle them."

"What's with this guy," Mike looked at Dillon with annoyance.

"Right, because you're doing a great job," Summer sarcastically retorted. "R.P.M. Get in Gear!" She morphed into her power suit and took out her weapons.

Moogers and Grinders dropped whoever was in their hands and went to attack. The rangers, Dr. K and Tenaya lowly somersaulted in hopes of getting out the way.

Summer was now the new target, but she was ready for them. They Yellow RPM ranger rapidly jumped to the left then to the right. She used both of her weapons to attack. She shot and slashed them. Enemies were falling like leaves to the ground. She, then, cartwheeled and ended up simultaneously kicking a few more. She ducked, hopped to the sides and punched the oncoming army of them. Gaining an opening, she quickly ran towards her fallen comrades.

"Is everyone alright," she huffed and puffed.

"We're fine," Tenaya nodded. "Come on, I'll help you." She raced forward and grappled with a few, while trying to swerve out of the harmful strikes of others.

Ranger Green, Blue, Black, Silver, and Gold also ran towards the Moogers and Grinders. Dr. K even got in on the action, exhibiting moves her fiance taught her.

Altogether, there were about four dozen of them. They were strictly ordered to destroy both sets of Power Rangers.

The Samurai rangers watched, while still on the ground. They couldn't remain stagnant any longer.

"Go, go Samurai," they yelled and morphed into their power suits.

Green and Blue jumped in for the fight. Gold's blade swooped in a circle. Yellow and Pink circled their swords, slicing plenty of them. They fought their hardest, their need to get back home fueling the fight. In the next minute, the rangers transformed their Spinswords into their respective weapons and made mince meat out of both kinds of foot soldiers.

The RPM rangers watched in awe. The newest team's arsenal proved to be heavy duty. Not to mention, their use of Symbol Power was definitely something they had never seen before. Pretty soon, they watched the Samurai rangers decimate all of the evil that was in sight.

Samurai rangers, seeing the coast was clear, powered down and met up with RPM rangers.

"Hey, thanks," Kevin acknowledged the Yellow RPM ranger and everyone else. "I'm Kevin, Blue Samurai ranger," he held out his hand. "Right here is Antonio, Gold Samurai, Mia, Pink Samurai, Mike, Green Samurai, and Emily, Yellow Samurai."

"It's nice to meet you all," Summer greeted while still morphed. "I'm Summer, Ranger Yellow. That's Flynn, Ranger Blue, his girlfriend, Gemma, Ranger Silver, her twin Gem, Ranger Gold. Right here is Ziggy, Ranger Green, his fiancee, Dr. K., who developed all of our technology. And this is Dillon, Ranger Black and also my fiance, and his sister, Tenaya, who used to be our enemy."

"Boy, they sure form close relationships," Mike muttered. Emily elbowed him. "Ow!"

Emily sweetly smiled. "Summer, why don't you power down, so we can meet you," this felt awfully familiar to her.

The other group of rangers' heads shot up rapidly. They adamantly shook their heads that Summer could not reveal herself. The Samurai rangers were confused once more.

"Is there a reason," Mia asked.

"It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the altar," Ziggy thoughtfully answered, as he slung his arm around Dillon. "Isn't that right you big lug, you."

"I'm not a lug," Dillon flatly pouted with his arms crossed over his chest in a child like fashion.

"Oh, be nice," Summer ordered with a beaming smile, even though, no one could see. She went into her soon to be husband's arms. "I'm going to stay morphed until I walk down the aisle."

"And how much longer until the wedding," Kevin questioned.

Dr. K glanced at her watch. "Ah," she screamed.

"Ah, what," the RPM rangers and Tenaya echoed.

"Only three more hours," Dr. K pointed to her watch too anxiously. She was about to blow a gasket. "And everyone should be gathering right now. We still have things to do, and we have to get Scott back."

Tenaya, once more, began rubbing her talisman for luck. She looked up at the simulated sky, hoping for Ranger Red's safe return. She desperately wanted him back and was worried he wasn't going to make it in time.

"Let's go to the base," Ziggy announced, and he looked at his frazzled fiancee. If she didn't calm down, she would have an heart attack. He consoled her.

"We'll get you to your wedding on time," Mia promised, understanding the importance of this day.

As they headed back to the RPM base, Gemma thought of something, but of course Gem spoke first.

"Hey, you all should," Ranger Gold started. "Join us," Ranger Silver ended.

"It's going to be super..."

"... Fun!"

"Every ranger team is going to..."

"...Be there"

"... We believe you should be apart of it..."

"...Too!"

"Do they always talk like that," Mike stepped away from them, trying to grasp the concept of their strong twin bond.

Ziggy, Dillon, Summer, Tenaya, Flynn and Dr. K nodded, as they walked into the RPM base. Dr. K immediately went to the computer and managed a transmission to Andros. She waited for a few minutes, and on the screen, in front of them, was the man with multicolored hair.

The Samurai rangers were taken aback by what was on a giant screen.

"Who's that," Emily whispered.

"Let's see," Mia responded, while hanging in the background.

_"Dr. K, greetings,"_ Andros respectfully bowed his head. He looked even closer, seeing some additional people. _"And who are they?"_

"The Samurai Power Rangers," Dr. K replied. "We've come across a little issue."

_"Oh, what's happened?"_ Andros was joined by his wife, Ashley, his twin sister, Karone, and her husband, Zhane. "_By the way, it's nice to meet the Samurai_ _Power Rangers. I am Andros, Red Space ranger. "_

_"And I'm Ashley, second Yellow Turbo ranger and Space ranger."_

_"Karone, past evil princess, Astronema, and I was even the Pink Lost Galaxy ranger for some time,_" she greeted with a smile.

Tenaya, for obvious reasons, nodded in appreciation.

_"Zhane, Silver Space ranger and husband to this lovely woman right here,"_ he hugged Karone.

The Samurai rangers introduced themselves.

After the Gold ranger said his piece, his mouth was still open. "What have _we_ just gotten ourselves into," he watched in amazement. "Wait, what have_ I_ gotten myself into. I was just a fisherman!"

"A fisherman who practically begged to become a ranger," Kevin muttered with annoyance tinged in his voice.

"If you guy's are done flirting, we can figure out how to get you all home," Dr. K angrily intervened. "Andros, Professor Cog is in Panorama City wreaking havoc, and I'm sure he's planning on using the Sanzu River in his plan."

Karone, Zhane, and Ashley went to opposite computers and worked on trying to gather more information.

_"I see. __How did the Samurai rangers get there, then?"_

"We were fighting Professor Cog. He was gunning for our leader, _Jayden,_ and we stepped into the line of fire. Then, we landed here," Kevin answered to the best of his ability.

The people aboard the Astro Megaship III peered at Kevin intently. The Blue Samurai ranger felt rather uncomfortable with four pairs of eyes boring holes into him. He expectedly looked away.

"Our Red ranger, Scott Truman, is helping to fight," Tenaya additionally informed. "Please, I need to know if he'll be alright."

_"He will be,"_ Ashley comforted, already sensing there was a deep bond between the woman with milky skin and dark tresses and the Red RPM ranger. Continuing in her endeavor, she picked up a signal. _"Hey everyone, look."_

On the screen, she brought up the battle happening between the Red Samurai and Red RPM ranger. They were engaged in a deadly face off and surrounded by plenty of Grinders and Moogers to occupy someone's time for a day. The other rangers watched in horror, as the battle commenced. Jayden's Spinsword and Scott's Nitro Blaster were drawn, and they started to combat one another. They twisted themselves away from the foot soldiers, trying to come in each's proximity to successfully hit one another.

_"This really had to happen on someone's wedding day,"_ Karone irately muttered. _"If I was still Astronema I'd tell that Professor Cog to stick a wrench up his-"_

_"Now, honey, is that any way to talk in front of the bride and our new friends,_" Zhane reproached with his best intentions.

Karone growled and glared, unappreciative of his words.

_"Stick it up his who-ha,"_ the Silver ranger supplemented quickly, his eyes pleading with his wife for forgiveness.

Andros and Ashley snickered.

"How'd she do that," Gemma curiously wondered while pointing at the screen. Seeing Karone command Zhane, she wished to do the same. "Flynn take notes!"

"Take what," Flynn's Irish accent was thick.

Gem rolled his eyes and smacked Flynn upside the head. "Listen to my sister," he offered some advice.

"Ha, they don't always finish each other's sentences," Antonio excitedly noted. "Fantastico!"

"Let's make Antonio," Gem commenced first.

"... Go boom," Gemma mischievously grinned while she converged and diverged her fingers in a menacing way.

Antonio's knees buckled upon hearing Gemma's pitch. "I don't like the sound of that," he ran behind Kevin. "Hide me!"

"Antonio," Kevin stressed with anger. "Get it together! We have to get back and help Jayden and Scott."

Mia and Tenaya's eyes were glued to the screen. They had to watch as the guys they cared about the most fight each other. This appeared to be a duel for survival. For Mia, she wished to be back with Jayden, so she could make him snap out of it. As for Tenaya, she wanted to reclaim some of her detrimental robotics, so she could aid Scott. Both of their hearts clenched at the sight.

Everyone else surrounded the same screen, taking subtle glances at the two heartbroken females.

_"I got it,"_ Andros profoundly stated. _"I've locked the coordinates, and-"_

"Wait," Mia intentionally interrupted while pointing at the screen. "Look!"

Their emotions practically leaped out of their body, causing heavy gasps to escape their mouths, as they watched Scott shoot Jayden, and then Jayden kicked his Spinsword at Scott. Thinking the Red rangers had injured one another, that wasn't even the case. Jayden revealed a necklace decorated with the RPM logo. Scott pulled out a piece of paper revealing the symbol for 'guard' that was given to him by Mentor Ji. Both came together and faced their enemy. They had been under a spell, and they already devised a plan to use the spell to their advantage. The two informed they weren't going to go down without a fight.

Mia and Tenaya jumped up and down with joy. Relief came in the form of the two Red rangers fighting on the right side, and that caused their attitudes to change dramatically. The rest of the people at the base and in space held the same sentiment. All continued witnessing the beautiful partnership between the two.

As they watched Moogers riding on the backs of transformed Grinders, Jayden used his Symbol Power and summoned a car. Scott jumped into the driver seat. Off the two went, fighting off the foot soldiers.

"A classic, convertible Ford Mustang," Dillon questioned with surprise, as he saw Scott maneuver the red car.

_"Okay, I have the coordinates, and with a little bit of power,"_ Andros further typed. _"Samurai Rangers," _he called, and they turned. _"Are you able to join us for the ranger reunion we have planned?"_

"Please," Summer almost begged along with everyone else.

Antonio, Mike, Mia, Emily, and Kevin glanced at each other, unsure if they would be able to.

"We'll have to think about it," Kevin answered on behalf of everyone. "Right now, we really want to help our leader."

_"We understand,"_ Karone nodded, not able to shake the feeling it was vital for them to attend.

Tenaya stepped forward. "Please, give Scott our best wishes. I, we, would like him home soon."

"We'll make sure he's back, on _your_ side," Mia confidently relayed.

_"We hope to see you all later,"_ Andros added. He hoped he could persuade them to come. If not, he would have to make a personal stop. This was way too much of a coincidence, in his opinion.

"Samurai Blue, Samurai Pink, Samurai Green, Samurai Yellow, and Samurai Gold, good luck," Dr. K wished.

"Tell him," Gem spoke first. "We say hi," Gemma said last.

"Thank you for helping us," Emily gladly said her thanks to everyone.

_"And, here's the portal,"_ the Red Space ranger informed.

Inside the RPM's base, a large circle of colorful energy appeared. The Samurai rangers took another last look at their new friends, both RPM and Space rangers. Their smiles were bittersweet. They did hope to join them later, since they wished to meet everyone else. However, another part knew they couldn't be deterred or relish in fun activities. At least, not yet. Already knowing Master Xandred was about to lose this battle, the leader from the Sanzu River would surely become hellbent on sending monsters more ruthless than the last to defeat them.

Before officially leaving, they morphed. All jumped inside the portal and left to help Scott and Jayden.

Andros sat back in his seat, thinking awfully hard about the group that just left. He punched more buttons, and he looked back. He wasn't able to get a screenshot of Jayden demorphed. However, the body stance and body type appeared similar to a famous ranger. They had to come.

"We need to get ready, the wedding's happening in about an hour and a half," Flynn reminded them. "Andros, we'll see you soon."

The Space rangers nodded and ended the link.

"He'll be home," Ziggy comforted both Tenaya and Summer.

They prepared to leave Corinth soon after that.


	18. Chapter 18- The Reunion

**A/N:** Alright, I can already see the 'finally' and 'it's about time' from all you readers. I know, I know. Here is the long awaited meeting.

**A/N:** Takes place roughly two hours after the last chapter.

**Chapter 18- The Reunion**

**Xxxxx**

**Panorama City, CA**

"Why are you so happy," Emily questioned Mike as he caught up to them.

The Samurai rangers were walking out of the subway station, dropping Scott off so he could hurry back to Corinth. Not too long ago, they—Samurai rangers and Scott, defeated Professor Cog, Sergeant Tread, and General Gut. They even acquired a new weapon—the Shark Sword. Before departing, Ranger Red wished for them to defeat Master Xanded successfully, so he could show them 'modern technology'.

"Nothing. He just made me open my eyes," Mike cryptically said again with a bright smile that trailed up to his alluring green eyes. He thought over the words that Scott told him. From what Scott could see, Samurai Yellow, as Dr. K called her, reciprocated the same feelings. He was ecstatic, since his like for Emily had significantly grown to more than just a friend.

The Yellow Samurai ranger grinned. Whatever Scott said, he must've asked Mike to keep it to himself.

The rangers were about ten minutes away from the Shiba House now. On the way, Kevin poked Jayden, hoping their leader wouldn't allow Mia to cook. Antonio second that. Mike and Emily privately spoke to one another, while Mia walked several feet in front of her team. She overheard the comments about her cooking but chose to ignore it.

When the rangers came around the corner, they were met by a surprising sight. They approached the figure that was standing right outside of the Shiba gates.

"Andros," Kevin wondered, and the Red Space ranger faced him with a grateful smile. "What are you doing here? How did you know we live here? Do you have any idea what you're doing," he fired off questions a mile a minute, obviously irritated that he was there.

"Kev, calm down," Antonio placed a hand on his shoulder.

"How can I calm down," Kevin angrily snapped, enacting strong reflexes that made Antonio agree to back off. The Samurai Blue ranger believed Andros' presence was going to cause more harm than good.

Emily, Mike, and Mia stood beside Kevin and Antonio while Jayden stepped away from them.

The Red Samurai ranger walked up to Andros. He felt this person was related to power. "I'm Jayden," he introduced himself. "This is my home."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stir up some trouble. I just wanted to make sure you all came home safely," he quickly apologized and did the humanly customary greeting. "I'm Andros, Red Space ranger."

Jayden wasn't too shocked and shook hands with him. He studied the man in front of him fully, wondering what he was doing at the Shiba grounds. "Is there an issue?" He believed if there was another ranger matter that he'd be able to handle it. After the day he had with Scott, nothing seemed impossible.

"No, not at all," Andros heartily laughed, which caused Jayden and the rest of the Samurai rangers to be relieved. "As I said, I wanted to make sure everyone got home safely."

"Well, we did. Thanks for helping my team. Now, if there isn't anything else, we should head inside," Jayden pointed to the entrance. He nodded thanks and walked away.

Kevin followed, but the others weren't so quick to dismiss Andros.

"Isn't Summer's wedding happening right now," Mia asked.

"Wedding," Jayden retraced his steps and stopped to curiously examine his teammates along with the older man. Kevin shadowed Jayden. "What's going on?!"

"When we were in the dome, we found out Summer, Yellow RPM ranger, is supposed to get married to Dillon, Black RPM ranger, today. In addition to the wedding, there's supposed to be a reunion for all rangers," Emily cheerfully updated. "Is the wedding still happening?"

"Of course. It's actually happening right now, but I'm here because I would like to escort the newest team to the reception," he hoped. Then, he seriously looked at Jayden. "Please."

The leader of the Samurai rangers wasn't as enthused with the idea. To be honest, he didn't want to meet past rangers until their duties were done. Master Xandred was still out there and wanting them dead, so he could conquer the world. For that reason, alone, they had to occupy their time with training—not going to some party.

Honestly, that wasn't the only reason though. Jayden would understandably feel like a fraud and embarrassed, if he attended. He was positive everyone would look at him to be the leader of the Samurai rangers, and he couldn't face any of them because that was far from the truth. Lauren Shiba, his sister, was the true leader.

For future's reference, he believed it was best for him to not show his face.

"Uh, I don't know," Jayden quickly excused himself and headed straight for the house.

With confused expressions, Mia, Antonio, Kevin, Emily and Mike chased after him.

Andros, with underlying intentions, wasn't going to give up so easily. He ran after Jayden, stopping him for taking another step. "Please, _we_ would really like for all of you to join us," he insisted, which made him sound like he was begging. And, he would use all of his powers of persuasion to make sure they attended. This wasn't just for their benefit to see they were apart of such a grand legacy, but it was to calm the nerves of all past rangers—especially Tommy and Kim. He believed Jayden was biologically connected to them.

The Samurai rangers helplessly watched. Even though Kevin didn't want to admit it outright, he, along with everyone else, _did_ want to go. However, something was holding Jayden back, which they didn't understand.

Jayden, not facing Andros, paid more attention to the ground instead. He wasn't about to confess the true reason of why he didn't want to attend to some stranger. He barely had the courage to admit this to his best friends, that he wasn't really their leader. And to know he was going to be around other unfamiliar people, and he would be introduced as the leader, that was too much for him to bear. He truly felt uneasy about the situation, and he wished to escape once more. Yet, he made a promise. Due to that, he was going to stay until his sister was ready to come home.

"No," he enforced his position once more.

Mentor Ji came out of the house. He appeared confused, once he saw a stranger with dual toned hair standing on the training platform. Jayden rapidly whizzed by, which caused him to turn. He saw Jayden disappear in the house. He faced his Samurai rangers plus one. "Excuse me, can I help you with something," Ji came down and was within an arm's length of Andros.

"Andros, Red Space ranger," he held out his hand, waiting for Ji to shake.

Ji hesitated a bit but relented. Now, he had to question why this man, who was the Red Space ranger, took an interest with the Samurai rangers. He traced his mind and gasped. The reason for his appearance dawned on him. There was one explanation for this man's arrival. Mentor, as Jayden's teacher and guardian, wasn't supposed to reveal the truth to Jayden because _they_ wanted to. "Oh boy," he practically whistled.

Andros knowingly nodded.

"Mentor," Kevin questioned, while watching Ji and Andros convey words without expressing them outright. They seemed to know what the other was thinking.

"Andros," Ji gulped, and he gazed between the other rangers and this man. "Can I talk to you in private?"

"Of course," the Red Space ranger didn't miss the urgency coming from Ji.

"Great," Mentor nervously said. "Rangers, go check on Jayden," he informed.

The Blue Samurai ranger had to make sure. "Mentor, is everything going to be alright," he asked. He saw Mentor nod, and he motioned for the others to head into the house.

Mentor gestured for the barbecue set, and Andros followed. They took a seat together, and both weren't sure how to bring up what they knew. They looked around for a bit before speaking to one another about the situation at hand.

"Thank you," Mentor started, which caused Andros to become confused. "I was told that you helped to make sure they got back here."

"Of course. It's not a problem," Andros waved his words away. "Us rangers help fellow rangers. We're like a big family, and if one needs help, we are there to give aid."

"Ah, I see," Mentor graciously accepted. Pregnant pauses were acting like a dividing factor. Instead of letting them continue further, he needed to get to the bottom of Andros' real reason for being here. "You know, don't you?"

Andros didn't need Ji to elaborate further. "Yes. I do. Does _he_ know," he asked, already concerned about Jayden's well being.

Mentor shook his head. "I haven't the heart to tell him," he truthfully answered while staring at him. "Do his parents know?"

"That I've found him," Andros queried. As a way to portray his answer, Mentor bobbed his head. "Not exactly. You see, we've been searching for him for the past several years. Yet, we were never able to find him. Now, I think I know why."

Ji explained the story in full.

He spoke about Mathew and Nina, and why they adopted Jayden close to two decades ago. He talked about the Shiba family, and how they've been engaged in the fight with Master Xandred. He also went into detail about the plan for Jayden to become an impostor. He also talked about when Jayden's adopted dad passed away, his sister went into hiding, so she could perfect the Sealing Symbol that would defeat Master Xandred. He even mentioned that Nina died of a broken heart after years of reeling from her husband's death.

Furthermore, he gave answers to the questions of why Jayden was so hard to find. School records wouldn't reveal anything about Jayden because he was always home-schooled. DMV records would prove nothing because he's never applied for a driver's license. Jayden pretty much lived under the radar. His time was solely invested into becoming a Power Ranger.

The truth became increasingly clear to Andros, and he was surprised. This whole entire time Kim and Tommy thought Jayden lived elsewhere, he was in a neighboring city harvesting powers to lead a team of Power Rangers. He somewhat believed his adopted parents had the best intentions, and that they loved Jayden. Even more so, there was no doubt Mentor Ji stepped in as a father figure.

"Do you know anything about Jayden's biological parents?"

"No."

"Kimberly 'Kim' Hart-Oliver was the first Pink ranger of Earth. She was given the power at the young age of 14. On the planet of Phaedos and throughout the galaxy, she's known to be apart of an elite group, the Ninjetti. Dr. Thomas 'Tommy' Oliver has been practically every single ranger color out there: Green, White, Red, and Black. He's also a Ninjetti. He's led countless teams, and even developed ranger technology and was a mentor like yourself. As much as he wants to get away from the power, the power can't get away from him."

"Power Rangers having a Power Ranger," Mentor thought aloud. "Wait, did you say Kimberly Oliver?"

"Does the name mean something to you?"

Mentor thought back to Jayden's most recent birthday. He remembered the woman that came in with Mike and Emily. He knew there had to be a reason for her to wish the Red Samurai a happy birthday. He was slowly beginning to comprehend why. "Yes," he replied, not wanting to go further.

"What a small world," Andros commented. "So, it seems like their son has followed in their footsteps. I don't know if that's what they wanted, but they really don't have a say in the matter now," he supposed while thinking harder about the situation. "No wonder he doesn't want to meet the rest of the rangers though. He probably feels like a fake."

Mentor agreed. He didn't want to make this meeting harder than it was, but he wanted Andros to think about this from Jayden's point of view. "At first, Jayden didn't want to lead a group of rangers into the fight with Master Xandred. After all, they aren't his team, they're Lauren's. He dislikes, and is particularly hard on himself, when they take hits for him. He doesn't want them to defend a 'nobody'. He feels like he has to prove himself capable of being a leader," he further informed. "He eats, trains, fights with them, knowing damn well, someday his sister will be back."

"So, this is all for his sister," Andros had to get this straight.

"Yes, his sister, Lauren, is the sole surviving member of the Shiba bloodline. Therefore, she's the only one that can learn the Sealing Symbol."

"I see," was all Andros could say, so he could wrap his head around this information.

"If he was to find out he wasn't apart of the Shiba bloodline, then I'm afraid several issues would arise. He probably wouldn't know _who_ he is. He'd even feel betrayed by the family he's known all his life. I can imagine, he'd think all of the blood, sweat and tears he's invested into his training was for nothing. His team believes he's the key to defeating Master Xandred, and what's going to happen when they realize he's not capable, and he's who he says he is?"

Andros found himself between a rock and a hard place. There was no doubt Jayden was Kim and Tommy's son now. However, the truth about the adoption would probably shatter what Jayden thought his purpose in life was. If he was to find out, this was never required of him, he'd be indefinitely crushed.

The Red Space ranger glanced at his watch. The reception was going to start soon, and he didn't want to come back without the Samurai team. Yet, there was a definite dilemma at hand. Before arriving, he was positive he'd say a few words, then they'd eagerly hop onto the Megaship and be on their way. He imagined, once arriving, the Samurai rangers would be welcomed with open arms. Then, everyone would be celebrating the nuptials between Dillon and Summer, and, most importantly, the legacy originated by Zordon. When the Samurai rangers would introduce themselves, then Tommy and Kim could see that their son was there—with them. He wasn't sure how they would react to him being a ranger, but they'd no longer had to live without knowing him.

Now, the plans were skewed due to what the Shiba family has made him endure. Andros wouldn't further comment on his personal distaste for how they raised him because that wasn't his place to say. Besides he would never talk ill of the dead.

His thoughts floated to the Oliver Family once more. He's known them for over 15 years. They would never subject their children to being Power Rangers. Kim practically had a stroke when she found Sophia battled foot soldiers, and Tommy didn't outright say he hated this life, but he knew this was a burden. For him, the ranger life always hanged in the balance.

"You have to understand I am only looking out for his best intentions," Mentor honestly told. "He should meet his parents and pay homage to his roots; there's no doubt, but he just doesn't know he's adopted." He continued talking to Andros.

Meanwhile, in the house, there rangers minus Jayden were nosily wondering what the two people outside were talking about. They each had an undeniable itch to want to spy, but they knew Mentor would be upset if they did so. They were sprawled around the living room, finding a way to occupy the urge.

"Don't you think we should check on Jayden," Antonio questioned, as he peered at the others. He began to twirl his morpher around. "He's been in there for awhile now."

"He seemed upset earlier too," Emily pointed out, twisting her blonde hair. "Maybe he's just drained from the day."

"I guess," Kevin walked away from the book case and sat opposite of Mike. "But, it just seems odd that Andros came all the way from space to talk us. Isn't it?"

"Well, he did say he just wanted to check on us. I don't see any harm," Mike provided his two cents. His gaze fell on Mia. "What's with you?"

Mia had been privately thinking about her love's encounter with Andros. She was beginning to think something wasn't right about Jayden. There was obviously an issue eating him up from inside, but he wouldn't share. She thought he would be happy to go. A month and a half ago, he was quick to help Antonio with an opening party, so why was this different.

They, he most of all, needed a break anyway.

"I'll be right back," Mia rose out of her seat and left for Jayden's room.

"Um, where is she going," the Green Samurai ranger sputtered in shock over her sudden departure.

The other rangers shook their head.

"Didn't Mentor already warn her," Kevin asked in distress.

Once it was revealed that Jayden and Mia were having nightly sleepovers, Mentor immediately put that to a stop. For a week, the Red and Pink ranger were ordered to clean the whole entire house inside and out. They had to make sure everything was spic and span. The tidying regiment even included disinfecting the training weapons, dummies, and even sweat filled gear. In addition, for seven nights they had to endure vivid slide shows and videos about the potentially harmful results of premarital sex.

Jayden and Mia's eyes were scarred for another week, as they tried their hardest to forget about the illustrations of genital warts, syphilis, herpes and the childbirth video that every high school student had seen. At times, the images randomly popped into their head, and they'd shriek in disgust. Yet, as soon as the depictions subsided, the two made a decision. They would no longer sleep in the same bed, but there was one condition: they were still going to be a couple. That surely went against the rules Ji had first told, but their feelings for each other were strong. They weren't going to act like they didn't exist, so they wanted to openly express the way they felt for one another.

At first, Mentor was mad, but he caved. He didn't want to stand in their way, so he gave them their blessing. Between Mia and Emily, he believed the Pink ranger was better suited for Jayden anyways. He countered with his owned demand, if there was any suspicious hanky panky still happening, he would surely step in and make sure the two ended their relationship. He vowed to keep tabs on them even more than he did before, if that were to happen.

"Come on, I doubt she's going to use this time to do anything sexual," Antonio got their heads out of the gutter. "She's doing what any girlfriend would do and check on her man."

A few seconds later, she arrived at his room. Mia used her fingers and tapped on Jayden's door. She patiently waited for a response.

"Go away! I don't want to talk right now," he shouted, sounding like a teen full of angst. The Pink ranger knocked with her knuckles this time. Jayden growled. "Go away," his voice rumbled louder. He grabbed for anything that would act like a blocking mechanism, so he didn't have to hear the unnecessary disruptions occurring on the other side of his door. He placed pillows over each ear and laid down. He glued his eyes together with so much force his face practically flared to the color of Clifford.

Mia wasn't deterred. He could scream, argue, and retreat for all she cared. She wanted to know what was bugging him. He would never act this way with another guest. They hardly had any, to be frank, but she was positive he wouldn't. Whatever was on his mind, she was going to get it out of him.

The sliding doors to the Shiba House were a little more modern than they looked. They actually did lock, but that had to be done from inside the room. She thought her boyfriend had already secured the door, and if needed, she was going to force the thing to open. She placed a firm hand on the door, and she mightily pulled. Mia screeched as she tumbled into the room unexpectedly. Her long black hair flew in different directions, and her cheeks became infused with pink. Her messy, unruly hair obstructed her view of Jayden.

Jayden was able to hear the loud crash of Mia's body. He shot up like fire was on his ass and hurriedly looked towards her direction. He rolled out of bed and checked on her immediately. She looked embarrassed, while he cursed himself for causing her to feel that way.

"I'm so sorry," he said his apology sincerely and brought her in for a soothing hug. "I thought- I didn't think, and well, I told you..." he rambled.

"I know," was all she replied with, using his shoulder as support to stand. She looked at the half open door with a frown. "You didn't lock it."

"I entered quickly and just crawled into bed. I thought if I yelled I wanted to be alone, then I would've been left alone."

"Do you really want that," she earnestly questioned.

"I do. It's nothing against you or that guy, but I just want a breather. Today was supposed to be another day off. The plan was to get frozen yogurt, then walk around. Without notice, we were thrusted into a fight with unknown creatures. Scott appeared, and in a fight, you all took a hit that was meant for me." Resentment clouded his face. "Suddenly, you five disappeared for close to half a day."

"Don't be like that; we wanted to protect you. We came back, helped you, added a new weapon to our arsenal repertoire, and defeated them." She softly caressed his wrist as a way to comfort him. "I understand though."

"I know you do. Plus, I think we shouldn't head to the party. We still have to get used to working with the Black Box and the Lightzord," he added.

A few weeks ago, Antonio used his electronic hacking technique and was able to infuse the Black Box with all their Symbol Power—Lion, Dragon, Bear, Ape, and Turtle. When a particular ranger utilized this box by attaching it to their Spinsword, the ranger accessed Super Samurai Mode. A protective cloak with the Samurai crest was worn, and their attacks were more lethal. The person gained even more speed, and their reflexes were multiplied. In addition, when using their Power Disc, their elemental attack was also super charged. The Black Box, when attached to a Mega Blade, helped the ranger to gain access to Super Mega Mode—where a protective shield took place of the cloak. Another added benefit of the Black Box, it also allowed a single ranger to operate all the Zords.

They also needed this extra source of power because they were dealing with an additional villain by the name of Serrator. This new enemy had several tricks up his sleeve. In secret, he had sent several Nighlocks to combat the rangers. His first appearance proved him as a threat. He created a monster out of paper named, Papyrox. Unlike the game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, this monster was difficult to 'cut'. The monster almost defeated the Samurai Battlewing, but Antonio, who was able to get over his unexpected fear of fish, saved the day with the Lightzord.

The Lightzord was another weapon that had been made, but never fully programmed. Antonio was successful, and this paper lantern could shoot discs. When needed, it could also become a full grown zord.

Mia sighed. "Okay," she was a little sad, but she didn't want to pester Jayden at all. She headed towards the door, then stopped. She walked back towards him, grabbed his shirt, and brought him in for a fiery kiss.

He was trying his best to resist his girlfriend, but she was intimately fusing her lips with his. He couldn't deny her any longer. He fully reciprocated. His arms surrounded her tiny waist, and he pulled her closer to him. He couldn't stop her, even if he tried. She was his remedy, and this was the way he wanted to unwind.

The two hadn't fully learned their lesson after all.

Engrossed in their makeout session, they weren't aware that there were two men, older than the them, standing at the door. One was enraged with anger, while the other found this quite comical. He tried his best to keep laughter within him, but knowing Jayden's little sister was also engaged in something similar, it was difficult to do. Oh, how he wished his parents were here to see this debacle.

"Ahem," Mentor strongly voiced. The attempt was weak. "Ahem," he cleared his throat loudly. They weren't stopping. Luckily for Ji, he held a stick in his hand. He brought the stick up and gave a forceful thwack to Jayden's side.

"Ouch," the Red ranger painfully winced. He couldn't even open his eyes because the sensation of the hit flowed throughout his right thigh.

Mia watched, a little distraught and even more apologetic that she let her raging hormones get the best of her. She took a better look, and became even more mortified when she saw Andros in the corner, trying to stifle his laughs. She laughed too but only because she was nervous. "I should get going. I promised I would cook dinner," she stepped to the side but was stopped. "Uh oh," she muttered.

Mentor shook his head. "No one is in trouble..." he watched them breathe relief. "... at least, not yet," he sternly warned.

Mia and Jayden looked at one another with worry.

"I've spoken to Mentor Ji," Andros started. The talk was a bit lengthier than expected, but both were able to come to a conclusion. "Be ready in about an hour or so, and I'll come back to pick you all up, so you can go to the reunion."

"Really," Mia excitedly questioned. She linked her arm with Jayden's. "Can you believe it?! We're gonna go."

Jayden heard, but he was still uncomfortable with the situation. "Mentor are you sure?"

"Yes, now go on and tell the others to get ready," he seriously ordered. Jayden couldn't ask another question, since Mia grabbed for his hand and made him run off, so they could inform the others. Jayden subtly looked over at Ji in a questioning way. Sadly, Ji couldn't face him at all. He only paid attention to Andros. "You promise, they won't tell him he's their son," he demanded.

"Not until after the final battle," he genuinely promised. "After they hear why this is essential—to still keep the truth from, then I'm sure they will understand. This must not be easy for you to accept."

"It's not," Mentor admitted. "I'm kind of regretting letting them go, but I understand this is important to Thomas and Kimberly. Therefore, I'm allowing this to happen. Please make sure nothing happens to him."

"Nothing will, and I will give you my word," the man with duel toned hair swore. "I'll be back for them shortly."

Andros immediately left to tell the others what was expected of them.

**Xxxxx**

**(Flashback)**

_The newlyweds waltzed in with a dazzling rendition of 'I Wanna Marry You' by Bruno Mars. The couple twisted and turned, gyrating around to the beat of the uptempo music. Tricks were added, as Dillon easily tossed Summer into the air. Like a soaring bird, she descended down gracefully back into his arms. Again, they danced around the platform. This was a far cry from Dillon's usually 'tough guy' personality. As they continued with their performance, everyone was clapping, cheering, and whistling for the couple. Once they were done, both took their seats at the appropriate table._

_Every other ranger team surrounded the recently wedded couple, and in the back, the rangers from Aquitar were comfortably resting in the spa like structure that was created for them. There were over 100 people present at this reception, and they were excited and ready to celebrate. Some hadn't seen each other in years, others had never been to a reunion due to the expanse time difference, and there were some that could only come if their special conditions were met. _

_For the most part, this was a typical party. There was an abundance of alcohol. Various food, finger, entree, future, of this time, lining several tables. There was a specific spot for dancing and another place for pictures to be taken. Bulk and Skull did a great job on planning and arranging everything. _

_The Red Space ranger arrived, and he immediately stepped up to the podium. The bright lights were directly pointed at him. Blinded for a minute, he tried to refocus his eyes, as well as, trying to gather the words he needed to say. He cleared his throat, before opening his mouth. _

"_Hello all," he began, and all eyes were on him. "I'd just like to say congratulations to the lovely couple, Dillon and Summer." He began to clap and others joined in."I'm also glad to see such a great turn out." His wife came onto the stage and offered him a beverage that was a staple on KO-35. He thanked her and rose his glass. "To Dillon and Summer, may you guys live blissfully for the rest of your lives together."_

_They smiled. Everyone joined suit, and they all toasted the air. _

_Andros took a sip, wishing he could drink five more glasses for some liquid courage. As nerves punched his body, he thought that maybe this wasn't the right place to say anything. He alleged he should pull the Oliver couple to the side and confess what their son has been up to. However, he knew the whole place would've been told the truth anyways. He stagnantly stood for another minute. _

"_Um, I don't know how else I should say this, but the truth needs to be told," he dramatically started. The occupants of the room tossed looks, some of worry, others of hope, plenty were questionable, at one another before refocusing them on the person on stage. "Tommy and Kim, for the past eight years we've been searching for your son." At the RPM rangers' table, they gasped. They weren't informed about that, so they listened closely. "And well, I know you've mentioned he's in Panorama City. Kim, do you still believe that was him?"_

"_Yes," Kim adamantly stated, staying firm on her belief. The way she felt and mother's intuition helped her to know so. Tommy grasped her hand as a form of support, and everyone at their table gave her an affirming nod. _

_People in the room were understandably on their toes, wanting to know what Andros knew. They wished for him to spit out the information and enlighten them. _

"_Well, I believe I just met him," the Red Space ranger confidently, yet shockingly revealed. _

_The room erupted in cheers and exhaled breathes of relief. The Mighty Morphin Power Ranger table hoisted themselves out of their seats like a bolt of lightning, and they gathered to give hugs, receive kisses on the cheeks, and proclaim this was a happy day. There were plenty of whispers that this day had finally came, and there were queries of if he was here to join them. The RPM rangers were clued in about why this was so important, and the newlyweds were excited to share in on this joyous occasion. _

"_Andros" Tommy left his wife's side. He wiped tears that easily fell due to the news about his first born child. He approached and joined him on stage. He graciously shook hands with Andros. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," he repeated more happier than the last. This was finally happening. His son was so close, yet so far, but extremely closer than when they first started to search. Knowing this, the feeling was so overwhelming. He could feel his knees getting weak, but he remained strong because he had so much he wanted to tell and do with his son. _

"_Tommy, it was nothing. Trust me, I know how important this is to you and your family," he feigned a smile. As much as he wanted this to be a day filled with happiness, this reunion wasn't going to be all that it was cracked up to be. He sighed. "Your son-your son..." he ended up covering the mic, so no one could hear. "Your son is the **Red Samurai ranger**."_

_All Tommy could do was blink. The news caused his chest to wire shut. He suddenly couldn't breath. He collapsed into a ball and tried to stand back up. His eyes suddenly hardened at the news. His wife and best friend ran to the stage, urging him to get back on his feet. They were puzzled and hoped there was reason to justify this action. _

_Worry over Tommy's physical response combined to sound like loud cries. _

"_That can't be right," Tommy shouted, not wanting to accept that his son was a damn Power Ranger. Andros nodded, a bit resentful it had to come out this way. "That's **not** my son then!"_

"_What," Kim irately hissed at her husband. "How can you deny him?!"_

"_Bro, have you gone off the deep end," Jason asked, very surprised that his best friend didn't want his child around. _

"_Tell them what you fucking told me," The Multicolored ranger snapped his demand with so much abrasiveness, it caused Andros to jump. _

_Andros seriously made eye contact and explained. "Jayden Shiba," he took another breath before continuing. He hated to be the bearer of bad news, and the shame he was wracked with caused him to not face Tommy, his comrade, his leader for dangerous missions, his unofficial brother of Earth. This wasn't the reaction he wished for, but he expected it. As the longest serving ranger, Dr. Thomas 'Tommy' Oliver has been in the cross hairs of villains plenty of times. His wife was also a target countless times too. Now, to know his son was in the battle to protect the world, he really was shaken to his core. "Has been appointed to be the 18th Head of the Shiba Clan. He is a kagemusha, which is in an impostor. He is standing in for his sister, who is in seclusion to learn a powerful Shiba symbol."_

_The news rocked Kimberly's world. Her son was a Power Ranger..._

**(End Flashback)**

**Xxxxx**

**Two Hours Later  
Bulkmeier's Hotel-Main Reception Hall  
Angel Grove, CA**

The Samurai rangers had their own special table. They were ecstatic to be at the reunion that was planned. First, they grabbed their food. There was a lot to choose from, and the goods from the galaxy didn't appear too appetizing, but as a form of respect they picked a dish. Second, they picked their drinks. Again, there was plenty of alcohol, but also a lot more drinks without liquor laced throughout. Lastly, they sat at their table. They eagerly scanned the place. There were lots of colors and even more people.

Zordon's 19—Jason, Trini, Zack, Billy, Kim, Tommy, Rocky, Aisha, Adam, Kat, Tanya, Justin, TJ, Cassie, Ashley, Carlos, Andros, Karone, and Zhane, were seated awfully close together. Allso with them was Angela, Zack's wife, Gia, Justin's fiancee and Theresa, Carlos' wife. They were chattering amongst themselves. A majority had to bare witness to the pained expressions of Tommy and Kim, who subtly looked at Jayden. Andros informed them they couldn't reveal the truth due to what the Shiba family has done. He weighed the pros and cons for them, and he believed they couldn't say anything until after the final battle.

No one in the room could reveal that to Jayden or his team that he was biologically Tommy and Kim's.

The parents were understandably upset over this developement. They wanted to know who created this cockamamie plan, and Andros further confessed both parents were deceased. The Olivers were remorseful over their deaths because they weren't people who possessed cold hearts. Their son was resilient. He's been through two deaths, had to step in for his sister and was in the heated battle against Master Xandred. They were proud of him, and now, more than ever, they wanted to be by his side.

Skull stepped up to the podium. His obnoxious, high school personality was long gone. He stood there with a little bit of arrogance, but also had respect for the people in front of him. He had a hefty hand in putting this together. "Ladies and gentleman. Once more, let's congratulate Dillon and Summer on their beautiful wedding earlier," he applauded, and everyone did the same. "Now, I was never a ranger. My best friend and I would always try to find out the identities to them, and we even tried to take some of their credit. I never knew the people we loved to annoy the most were them," he elicited a few laughs. "Thinking back to then and knowing them now, I have to apologize because I must've made things harder on you guys."

"You did," Zack joked, and his wife lightly shoved him. "What?"

"I'm serious." Skull didn't budge a bit. "You were model students, best friends, boyfriend and girlfriend," he specifically looked at Tommy and Kim, "involved in plenty of activities, and had to be saviors of the universe. That wasn't easy, and I commend you all for everything that you've ever done for this world," he seriously stated. "Now, it's what we all have waited for. Please, introduce yourselves. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers."

One by one, the rangers said their intros. Jason Scott, Red ranger, Trinity 'Trini' Kwan-Scott, Yellow ranger, William 'Billy' Cranston, Blue ranger, Zachary 'Zack' Taylor, Black ranger, Kimberly 'Kim' Hart-Oliver, Pink ranger and Dr. Thomas 'Tommy' Oliver, Green and White ranger." They were given a standing ovation because they were the firsts. Angela Taylor, Zack's wife, was also named. Rockford 'Rocky' DeSantos stood along with his wife, Aisha Campbell-DeSantos and Adam Park. They explained how they replaced Jason, Trini, and Zack. The Ninjetti were mentioned as their own team also. Katherine 'Kat' Hilliard-Corbett spoke of how she became the successor to Kim.

The Samurai rangers' jaws dropped when they saw Kim. They had questions to ask her.

"Now, they love the water so much, they literally can't survive without it," Skull flatly joked. "The Alien rangers hailing for Aquitar!"

They were still seated in where they felt most comfortable, and their voices sounded like rippling water as they talked. Delphine, leader and White ranger, Corcus, Black ranger, Aurico, Red ranger, Cestro, Blue ranger, Tideus, Yellow ranger and Cestria, who provided extra aid when needed.

"I really should've noticed they were Power Rangers when there a serious color change. Tommy, you really had to be a color stealer," Skull jokingly added. Tommy turned red. "Power Rangers: Zeo."

Tommy, Red ranger, Rocky, Blue ranger, Adam, Green ranger, and Kat, Pink ranger, stood once more. Tanya Sloane-Park, Yellow ranger, rose out of her seat, and she explained how she took over for Aisha. Jason, Gold ranger, and Billy, who became a technical adviser, were on their feet again.

"Please take notes, there are significant roster changes."

Tommy, Red ranger, Adam, Green ranger, Kat, Pink ranger, Tanya, Yellow ranger remained upright. Justin Stewart, Blue Turbo, said his bit of how he took over for Rocky after he sustained a back injury. Theodore Jay Jarvis 'TJ' Johnson noted Tommy passed the torch to him, so he became leader and Red ranger. Adam sat, and Carlos Vallerte said his 'hi' to everyone, as the Green ranger followed by Ashley Hammond, Yellow ranger, and Cassandra 'Cassie' Chan-Johnson, Pink ranger. Theresa and Gia made their presence known too.

"I'm not sure if it was the galaxy particles, but for some reason, they ended up telling everyone that they were Power Rangers," Skull quipped. "Power Rangers: in Space."

Andros, Red Space ranger, took it upon himself to acquaint everyone with his team. Ashley, his wife and Yellow ranger, Cassie, Pink ranger, TJ, Blue ranger, Carlos, Black ranger, and Zhane, his best friend and Silver ranger. Then, Karone mentioned she was the former princess of evil, Astronema, their former enemy.

"I was supposed to go onto Terra Venture, but I forgot to set my alarm clock. Bulk, you missed me all that time, didn't you," Skull obnoxiously laughed like he always did when Bulk did something wrong. "Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy."

Leonard 'Leo' Corbett, Red ranger, Kendrix Morgan-Corbett, Pink ranger, Maya, Yellow ranger, Kai Chen, Blue ranger, Damon Henderson, Green ranger, and Miguel 'Mike' Corbett, Magna Defender, all said their hellos. They added their little anecdote that it was really Mike, who pulled the sword first, but fell in a crevice, and how Kendrix 'died' but provided the sword to Karone, so she could redeem herself for all of her wrongdoings as Astronema

"The first ever man-made ranger powers. Captain Mitchell, you must've lost a lot of sleep but was still able to get it in, huh? You ended up having two kids!" Skull continued with his one liners. "Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue."

Carter Grayson, Red ranger, Dana Mitchell-Grayson, Pink ranger, Joel Rawlings, Green ranger, Kelsey Winslow-Mitchell, Yellow ranger, Chad Lee, Blue ranger, and Ryan Mitchell, Tituanium ranger all stood. Captain Mitchell was also present along with Joel's wife, Angela Fairweather-Rawlings, who was their tech adviser.

"Time for Time Force," Skull enacted the morphing movements. "Give it up to the rangers that have to travel 1,000 years just to come to these things. At least, you ride in style over here. Mr. Collins always looks out for you guys. Please say your introductions. Power Rangers: Time Force."

Wesley 'Wes' Collins Red ranger, Jennifer 'Jen' Scotts-Collins, Pink ranger, Katie Walker, Yellow ranger, Lucas Kendall, Blue ranger, Trip, Green ranger, hailing from the planet, Xybria, and Eric Myers, past rogue Quantum ranger announced their little tidbits. Nadira, Lucas' wife, also made herself known.

"It's been a wild ride for the Wild Force rangers. For a year, their leader had gone missing and now he's-" Skull squinted his eyes like an aperture, so everything appeared bigger. He was caught off guard by only two people sitting there. "Um," he cleared his throat. "Power Rangers: Wild Force," he blocked the mic from picking up his next words. "Where are they," he hissed his question.

Bulk shrugged his shoulders. Everyone else was then alerted that some people were, in fact, gone. Plenty said, 'not again', or 'this can't be happening'. The Samurai rangers quietly muttered their own thoughts to each other.

Princess Shayla, who was the mentor to them, and her consort, Merrick Baliton, Lunarr ranger, were still seated and told about the others: Cole Evans, Red ranger, Alyssa Enrile-Evans, White ranger, Taylor Earhardt-Myers, Yellow ranger, Maxwell 'Max' Cooper, Blue ranger, and Daniel 'Danny' Delgado, Black ranger. They, then, departed along with Eric, Andros, and Jason to look for the others.

Finding a way to bring everyone's attention to what was at hand, Skull managed. "What happens when you bring two Ninja schools together," he asked. "You get a team with two Reds, two Blues, a Yellow and a Green Samurai! Power Rangers: Ninja Storm," he nervously laughed, hoping that history wasn't repeating itself.

Shane Clarke, Red ranger, Dustin Brooks, Yellow ranger, Tori Hanson-Bradley, Blue ranger, Hunter Bradley, Crimson Thunder ranger, Blake Bradley, Navy Thunder ranger and Cameron 'Cam' Watanabe, Green Samurai let others know who they were. Sensei Kanoi, Kapri, and Marah were also there join in the festivities.

Kevin reminisced to the time he captured the Swordfishzord. Blake was the one that helped him. Mia also had a connection to that table.

"You almost lost your life because you had to protect those Dino Gems, didn't you Tommy," Skull continued to rag on Tommy. "Because he loves the power so much, he decided to make his own power team. Power Rangers: Dino Thunder."

Conner McKnight, Red ranger, Kira Ford-McKnight, Yellow ranger, Ethan James, Blue ranger, and Trent Fernandez-Mercer, White ranger announced who they were. As his last introduction of the night, Tommy, Black ranger and mentor, just waved at everyone. Dr. Anton Mercer, Elsa Mercer, Krista Mercer and Melissa were also seated with them.

Kevin, Mike, Emily, Mia and Antonio had to count how times Tommy stood.

"Who would've thought children of Power Rangers could become rangers," his statement was met with confused looks and daggers in a few people's eyes. He covered his mouth immediately. "Uh, that's not what I meant to say! Um, you see, at this age, no one would think their children would be a Power Ranger! No, I mean, parents, who are Power Rangers, don't want their children to be rangers..."

"Skull," Bulk hissed. "Get it together!"

Farkas 'Bulk' Bulkmeier had been in Panorama City for a while. He's seen Jayden a few times before the team came together. He never knew, but now, that he's seen Jayden with his friends, he's come to realize, they were the Samurai rangers. He cursed himself for not putting two and two together. Even more, he needed to prevent Spike from falling for the Pink ranger. His nephew often made his crush painfully obvious. He further assumed that Spike would end up spilling the beans about Jayden's ancestry. So, he thought the best thing to do was move back to Angel Grove, so Spike wouldn't be anywhere near them.

"Power Rangers SPD, or Space Patrol Delta," Skull got straight to the point.

Schuyler 'Sky' Tate-Collins, future son of Wes and Jen, former Blue ranger, then Red ranger and was now Commander Collins at SPD, was there along with Sydney 'Syd' Drew-Grayson, future daughter of Carter and Dana, Pink ranger, Bridge Carson-McKnight, future son of Conner and Kira, Green ranger then Blue ranger, and ultimately became Red ranger, and Elizabeth 'Z' Delgado, future daughter of Danny, Yellow ranger. Jack Landors, first Red ranger of the B-Squad, Anubis Cruger and Dr. Kat Manx tagged along for the party too.

"And here we have a fellow, who didn't know he was adopted, and ended up becoming Power Ranger! Uh," he drew out the word, in an attempt to recover. "I mean, he met his parents, and they were Power Rangers too." Skull's words were met by exasperated notions from people in the audience. "Power Rangers: Mystic Force," he quickly said.

"Did he really have to be the emcee," Mike curiously wondered, since everyone didn't seem appreciative of the guy's little back stories.

"Stop," Emily whispered, so she could listen more.

Bowen 'Nick' Russell, Red ranger, Madison 'Maddie' Rocca, Blue ranger, Vida 'V' Rocca, Pink ranger, Charlie 'Chip' Thorn, Yellow ranger, Xandrer Bly, Green ranger, and Daggeron, Solaris Knight, helped everyone to get further familiarized with them. Udonna and Leanbow, Nick's birth parents, and Clare, who oddly looked like Trent's wife but with blonde hair, had accompanied them.

"Who was the youngest person to ever serve on a Power Ranger team," Eugene 'Skull' Skullovitch rhetorically asked.

"Justin Stewart, Blue Turbo ranger," Kevin interrupted with confidence. Several eyes whipped his way, and they shook their heads. "No," he hated to be wrong.

"I thought us, Blues, were supposed to be smart," Ethan muttered his annoyance.

"Dude, he's like new," Conner defended.

Skull just laughed at the naivety of the newest team. He continued. "If you ever want your DNA altered, then head to their mentor. Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive."

Mackenzie 'Mack' Hartford, Red ranger, Rose Ortiz-Hartford, Pink ranger, Veronica 'Ronny' Robinson-Thurston, Yellow ranger, William 'Will' Aston, Black ranger, Dax Lo, Blue ranger, and Tyzonn, Mercury ranger excitedly informed who they were. Andrew Hartford, Mack's dad and mentor to the team, along with the butler, Spencer, were also seated with them.

Emily gasped. She remembered Ronny from the bridal cake.

"If you're ever in Ocean's Bluff and want a delicious slice of pizza, head to Jungle Karma Pizza. Who would've thought that above the pizzeria was actually a Power Rangers base?! Great job, RJ," Skull was slowly getting back into the swing of things. "Power Rangers: Jungle Fury."

Casey Rhodes, Red ranger, Lilith 'Lily' Chilman, Yellow Ranger, Theodore 'Theo' Martin, Blue ranger, Robert 'RJ' James, mentor and Violet ranger, and Dominic 'Dom' Hargan, White ranger along with Master Finn, RJ's dad, and Fran, Dom's wife, stated who they were.

"We hope these conditions, decorations, and everything else are decent for you," Skull began with a smile. "If it wasn't for the nuptials between two of these rangers, then we probably wouldn't all be here. However, we made this happen." He received a drink from Bulk. "Scott, I'm sure from the day you've had, you're pretty tired. Power Rangers: RPM."

Scott Truman, Red ranger, Flynn McAllistair, Blue ranger, Summer Landsdown, Yellow ranger, Ziggy Grover, Green ranger, Dillon, Black ranger, Gem, Gold ranger, Gemma, Silver Ranger, Dr. K, their mentor, and Tenaya, Dillon's sister, once more said their thanks to everyone for coming and putting this reception together.

"And finally, Power Rangers Samurai. There's not much to say about you guys, other than, you've continued the legacy well. We wish you luck in the future, and hope you can defeat your bad guy. This was probably short notice for all of you to attend, but this is important to all of us. You're important to all of us," Skull announced with more passion than any of them knew he had. His words were loaded, and they were specifically geared towards Jayden. "Power Rangers: Samurai."

Kevin, Blue ranger, Mike, Green ranger, Antonio Garcia, Gold ranger, Mia Watanabe, Pink ranger, Emily, Yellow ranger, and finally Jayden Shiba, Red ranger, spoke of how honored they were to be there. Unfortunately, their Mentor couldn't come because he had some private things to take care of. Next time, they promised, on his behalf, he would be there.

Once the lengthy introductions concluded, they resumed either eating, talking, or dancing.

Like tots on a long airplane ride, they could no longer sit in their seats. They _had_ to say something to him, even if it was 'hi'.

"Come on," Tommy authoritatively said to his wife.

"Alright." Kim took his offered hand. Husband and wife made their way to the Samurai table. Anticipation grew to monstrous proportions, but they kept their cool even under these circumstances. Since Kim was familiar with them, she spoke first. "How are you guys enjoying yourselves," she faked a cheerful voice.

"Mrs. Oliver," Antonio was the first to speak, "I had no clue that you were one of the firsts. And your husband too? Man, you are a legend."

Tommy chuckled at Antonio's enthusiasm. "I guess I should take that as a compliment," he figured. Antonio and the others nodded. A smile was plastered on this legendary ranger's face alright, but the look in his eyes told a different story. He nervously cleared his throat. "So, Jayden, um, how are you doing?"

Jayden's face was filled with surprise. This man was talking to him. He couldn't believe that. "Um, good. I really had no clue there were so many other rangers," he took a look around. "_My dad_ never spoke of this. If only, he could see this now," he honestly replied while wrapping an arm around Mia.

Jayden's birth parents closely noted the relationship between the Red and Pink Samurai. They assumed the two were together, and their inner parent wanted to know how they met, how they came to be together, and even how far they've gone. They imagined nothing's been consummated. Both wanted to know more about him.

Yet, the way their son spoke about his adopted dad made it clear he really had no clue about his true heritage or his actual relationship to them. They felt verbally stabbed in the heart. This was harder than they imagined.

Kim, as a mother, couldn't and wouldn't be a fake any longer. This was _her_ son. How could she stand there and act otherwise? The tears were there but refused to drop in front him. "I can't do this," she huskily whispered under her breath. She hastily ran out.

Tommy apologetically looked at Jayden, and then his eyes floated to where his wife ran off to. He tried his best to keep the act that Jayden wasn't his, but that was the hardest thing he had to do. "Excuse me," he said, sounding a little sad.

"What was that about," Mia asked, as she pushed herself towards the table. She crossed her arms and rested them on there. Her body language expressed concern.

"I don't know, but it reminds me of when Kim first met Jayden," Kevin analyzed. "Jayden, do you know her?"

Jayden shook his head. "No, not at all," he answered to the best of his ability. "The first time I met her was on my birthday."

"I think we should check on her," Emily chimed in, since that was apart of her personality.

"It's not our place," Mike pointed with his thumb at several females that were literally hopping out of their seats to see Kim.

Antonio wrote a mental note. When the opening occurred, he was going to talk to her himself.

Blake stepped over to the Samurai rangers. He clasped hands with Kevin and brought him in for a guy hug. "You know, when I helped you with the that thing, I had a feeling you were a ranger," he commented with his raspy voice.

Kevin laughed, happy that there was a distraction. "I had no clue you were though," he enthusiastically pointed out. "Wow!"

"Come on, Tori wants to say hi," he urged Kevin to head over to his wife. Kevin obliged.

Cam and Sensei Kanoi appeared there as well. They had eyes only for Mia. She met to say something to them, but Kim was at their table.

"And, my little cousin ends up being a Power Ranger," Cam stated in a sing song way. He helped her out of her seat. He brought her in for a hug that was long overdue. "I didn't know."

"Neither did I," Mia confessed, hugging Cam once more, ignoring the confused expressions from the others. Then, she went to her uncle and buried herself in his arms. "Uncle Kanoi," she lovingly expressed with a tear sliding down her cheek. She introduced her family to the rest of her friends.

Sensei Kanoi and Kiya, Kanoi's twin brother, who went on to become Lothor, were half brother's of Mia's dad. Mia's dad, Kana, cut off ties with Kiya due to his treachery from all those years ago. When Mia's mom revealed she was the Pink Samurai ranger to Kana and her duty was to be passed off to their child, Kana made a choice and left his existing family with just a note, only explaining he had to leave. That left the relationship between Kanoi and Kana strained.

Sensei Kanoi further added. "I feel awful. One does not abandon family for something so trivial as a letter. I shouldn't have taken it for face value. The secret that your mom was a Samurai ranger had to be kept under wraps. I understand why and what the purpose was, trust me. I love my brother and hope to rebuild a relationship with him soon," he again wrapped his niece in his arms.

Cam smiled brightly. "It looks like we have a lot to catch up on, and you should meet your other cousins," he pointed to Marah and Kapri. Noting the bewildered look, he laughed. "Your other uncle's, distant, family members."

Mia laughed too. "Alright. Excuse me, guys," she walked off with them. She gained so much by attending this reunion, and she had to thank Mentor for allowing this to happen.

Emily also got out of her seat, since she wanted to speak to Ronny. Mike followed because he didn't want her to be alone. Antonio abandoned his chair to talk to Rocky, who he had met at Kim's store.

Jayden felt awkward sitting by himself, but he had a smile on his face. His friends were having a great time, and he couldn't believe he was about to prevent that from happening due to his selfish reason. He drank some punch, and then he was unexpectedly rejoined by Tommy.

Tommy returned after checking on Kim. She was alright, and she told Tommy to talk to Jayden, since he was able to put up a better front than she could.

"How is she," the current Red ranger questioned. Kim's sudden run off caused him to become a little concern. He hoped everything was okay with her.

"She's fine. Just feeling a little under the weather," Tommy came up with a believable lie. Up, close and personal, Tommy captured a very good look at Jayden. His son, Tristan, was the spitting image of his oldest son. Truly, the resemblance was uncanny. He assumed both of his sons had picked up the recessive genes of Tommy and Kim. The blue eyes and ash brown hair made that clear. "Listen, I wanted to talk to you and let you know, if there's anything you ever need or talk about, you can call or come visit my house."

"Really," Jayden asked.

Tommy nodded and grabbed a piece of paper out of his pocket. "This is my contact information. I'm serious. No matter what time it is, or how far you are, you can phone any time, or I'll come get you."

The Red ranger was a little taken aback by Tommy's offer. He wondered if every other Red ranger was given that type of support. He gladly accepted, since that meant a lot to him. However, he still thought about his sister, Lauren. She was really worthy of this, not him. He also didn't want to impose. He did want to know something though. "I have a question."

"Shoot."

"You were the Green ranger, right?"

"Yeah. Mighty Morphin Green, why?"

Jayden didn't know how to frame the question, but he had to know. "Did your eyes ever, you know, change to green?"

Mentally, Tommy replied with they still do. He didn't want to scare him by admitting that was a residual effect. "Yes. That's usually what happens. You see, whenever a ranger is turned evil, their eyes usually change or flash to _their_ color. Kim, you know my wife, her eyes change to pink. It's a rather scary shade of pink, but it's pink."

"I see," Jayden accepted, but that still didn't explain what happened to him. "I was turned evil, and as you can see, I'm the Red ranger," he pointed to his clothes, which was an obvious indicator of his ranger color. That caused both of them to laugh a bit. "According to my team, my eyes changed to _green._ Do you have a clue of why that could happen?"

"Oh, wow," was all Tommy could say. There was a logical explanation for that, but that would potentially give away their connection. Sophia, Jayden's sister, her eyes would flashed green. He kept that to himself. He had to give an answer though. "Maybe, it was just the monster's spell. That could have something to do with it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Jayden seemingly agreed. "So, you really held all that power?"

"I did," Tommy was getting into the groove of the conversation, and he was confident that he could finally build a relationship with this son. His nerves were slowly disappearing, and he was talking to Jayden normally.

People in the room noticed. They privately commented on it. Kim walked back into the room with Trini, Aisha, Kat, Tanya, Cassie, Ashley and Karone. Her eyes roved over to where Tommy was sitting with Jayden. They seemed to be in deep conversation.

"Looks like their bonding," Trini witnessed herself.

"Let's hope this continues," Aisha hopefully said.

"They really look like each other," Tanya noted.

Cassie agreed too. "It's like they've never been a part."

Ashley watched. "This is how it's supposed to be."

Karone tearfully smiled. "Kim, did you ever think this was how it was going to be?"

"No. I want to head over there, but I can't," Kim forced herself to look away due to guilt. All these years, she told herself the adoption was for his own good,. Not one day, did she ever think she gave her son to people that made him become a Power Ranger. Not only that, but he was standing in for his adopted sister's sake. The plan was sadistic, in Kim's opinion. If they were still alive and Kim had the chance, she would give them a piece of her mind. She knew it wouldn't have been a pretty meeting. However, they deserved it. They should've protected her son, kept him out of harm's way, and not allowed him to follow in their footsteps.

How was she and Tommy going to explain this to Sophia now?

Sophia already knew she fought along side a Power Ranger. She told everyone about it. Now, how would Sophia handle her brother was _that_ Power Ranger?

"One day at a time," Trini comforted, since she believed Tommy and Kim had the chance to be in Jayden's life.

Eric hurriedly ran onto stage. He tapped the mic, causing the screeching noises to commence. He cleared his throat, though he was out of breath. He opened his mouth, and the words rocked the rest of the group once more.

"Cole's missing..."

* * *

**Dun... dun... dun...**

**A/N: **Still not what you expected? There's plenty more chapters.


	19. Chapter 19- The Mission

**A/N: **Who's ready for more Sophia and the rest of the their friends?!

**Episode- **The Bullzord

**Chapter 19- The Mission**

**Xxxxx**

**Oliver House-Kim's Home Office  
Reefside, CA**

The reunion wasn't what they thought it was going to be. Instead, the party was filled with a twist and a turn. The twist: their son was a Power Ranger. The turn: Cole, Red Wild Force ranger, just disappeared—again.

Abruptly, the reunion ended.

Several teams, once again, formed search parties, helping the frantic Alyssa search for her husband. She explained Cole complained about having a headache, so he left for the bathroom. She thought he would've been back in time once the Samurai rangers arrived, but he didn't return. She made Max and Danny head to the bathroom. Privately, they notified he wasn't in there. Alyssa and Taylor excused themselves from the table and roamed the grounds. He was gone once more; it was like he had disappeared into thin air. The former White Wild Force ranger deeply apologized to the Dillon and Summer due to the attention shifting from them and to her husband. In a private moment with Tommy and Kim, she said her 'sorry' to them because she knew the official meeting with their son was unexpectedly cut short due to this.

The current team offered their assistance. All were met with 'nos'. All six remained persistent, and just wished to be extra pairs of eyes. The eldest, former rangers, as parents, reminded them it was getting pretty late, and they should just return home. They, the Samurai Power Rangers eventually agreed because by tomorrow, there was probably going to be another Nighlock on the prowl. Before they departed, they thanked whatever teams were in the room for inviting them. It was the least they could.

Once Jayden, who was still in the dark about his connection to them, faced Tommy and Kim, he was brought into a loving hug by the two. He stiffened, at first, since he wasn't used to parental affection. Mia's affection, that was a different story. He listened to the whispered words of positivity and encouragement, and that Tommy's offer would always be on the table for him. Jayden graciously nodded, and once more said bye.

As soon as the six were aboard the Astro Megaship III with Andros, Karone, and the rest of the In Space rangers, they left. Kim crumbled and broke down. Her closest friends supported her the best they could. She didn't expect this news about her son. She couldn't believe he was a Power Ranger. She was shocked that he was a fake, Red ranger, which seemed to demean him as a person. Kim couldn't dwell any longer on the issue though, there was a missing ranger, and she needed to help.

That was close to a month ago.

For the past hour, Kim had been in her office looking over some ads and printing the ones that appealed to her the most.

"Kim," Tommy shouted his call. He thought his wife was submerging herself into work once again. He needed to get her out of the house. The best way he thought was taking a drive to Angel Grove, having a romantic, picnic lunch at _their_ park, and then going to pick up their children; one was at Hayley's Cyberspace and the other at the McKnight's house. He figured they should go to the pizza buffet with the arcade inside for dinner.

That was the perfect plan for family night.

"Yeah," Kim responded, a bit frazzled, as she rushed into hiding papers behind her. She stayed put, almost holding her breathe in. Her husband entered her office, and she nervously smiled. "Yes, Handsome," she greeted.

"Hey," he began, and looked closely at his wife, since her hands looked to be tied behind her back. She appeared to be keeping something from him. "What do you have there?"

She had to figure out how to get out of this one. She didn't want to inform him about her plan of action. Eventually, she would have to. She could imagine the look on her husband and the kids' face, if they came to an empty house. They would definitely be mortified. "Nothing," she lied.

Tommy's didn't believe her. He admitted to his closest guy friends she was acting strange. He was determined to get to the bottom of this. "Stop with the lies," he demanded with anger. She usually told him anything and everything, and now, she was surreptitiously hiding something from him.

She glared with intensity. "I'm not lying," she denied. Tears already fell though. She could admit that. Privately, for the past few weeks since the reunion, she cried in the comfort of her home office. She did so because she did not understand how this came to be.

Zordon was wrong. They placed all their trust into him, and he failed. That's right, she believed he failed them as a mentor, stand in father, and anything else sh thought of him to be. She blamed Zordon for her son becoming a Power Ranger behind their backs.

Inhaling a deep, calming breathe, he approached his wife with baby steps. He didn't want to fight with her, but he also wanted her to know she wasn't alone in this. He sat on the desk, right in front of her, and peered down. He hated to see her like this. She was usually strong, but she appeared to be beaten due to the truth.

"It's okay," he soothingly said, bringing her in for a hug. He felt the tears pierce the middle of his shirt, and he let her continue until she was finished. While she cried, she adjusted her position closer to him, and she hoped to suppress his anger. Taking a glance, to see how she was, Tommy was able to take a peek at what was behind her back. Though the papers were crumpled, he was able to read along the paper's newly given ridges.

"_2 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom Townhouse by the waterfront, only $1600!"_

He imagined, what was pretty much on point, where this was located. He looked away, anger resurfacing.

"Tommy," Kim pushed away from him and reclined back in her office chair. The papers were shoved behind her back still. She tightly held them, causing her knuckles to alter to white. "I'm fine," she fabricated once more. "I'm sorry for my blow up."

"Beautiful," he faked a smile, waiting patiently for her to tell him the reason behind that advertisement, "I know our emotions have been on edge because of Jayden. I understand."

"I love you."

He rose, concluding she didn't want him to be there. He bent down and kissed her lips chastely. He walked to the door, but wasn't able to let go of what he just saw. With his back turned, he said what was on his mind. "Do you need help packing," he spat the question with malevolence.

She let the papers cascade from her hands at his surprising inquiry. They littered around her office chair. "Tommy, I was going to tell you," she jolted out of her seat and to his side. She attached herself to his back, caressing his chest in an attempt to calm him down. "I really, really was."

"When," he shoved her arms off of him. He faced her, his eyes burning with fire. He could've melted ice cubes with the look expressed in his eyes. "Were you going to tell me after the fact? Or, maybe, you'd use the excuse you're just heading to the shop... and you would never come back!"

"I'd come back," she shouted, her chest elevated up and down, looking at him like he had gone mad. "You have no right to talk to me like this!"

"No right," he repeated, trying to make sure he heard her right. "You are my wife. I am your husband. I have the right to know what you are up to when it changes the dynamics of this family!"

"It's just until the shop is done!"

"Right," he again didn't believe her. "Because they have such thing as one month leases." He knew the true reason—his wife wanted to spy on him, and he would damned if he allowed this to happen. Jayden wasn't their only child, but she had this mentality he was. Under different conditions, he along with the rest of the family would move to Panorama City, so they could be with him. However, he was clothed, fed, surrounded by decent people, and he was fine. He was even fighting on the side of good.

Unlike when he was first told about Jayden's 'side job', he's accepted this. Yes, his son was a Power Ranger. He wouldn't have wished for that to happen, but there was nothing he could do now. His son was standing in for his adopted sister, and Jayden didn't seem to have a problem with it. Therefore, they couldn't hone in on this plan that's been in the works for awhile. He ultimately concluded, his son could not back out now. Until, the final battle was done, would they make themselves known.

On the other hand, if a life threatening issue happened, he'd be there in a heartbeat and forgo the Shiba Family's idea.

"This wasn't supposed to be his life," Kim reminded him. "I hung up my power suit a long time ago, and you promised the Black Dino Thunder ranger was your last go around. We've talked that we don't want Sophia or Tristan becoming a ranger, and the same could be said for Jayden."

Out of all the rangers, Tommy and Kim knew about _that_ life, since they were constantly thrusted into the dangers of it.

Even under Rita's command, he still had the lingering feeling she could've caused him to turn the Sword of Darkness on himself at any time. He often felt disposable, since he gained and lost the power more than anyone else. He's fought against his friends, was tossed back in time, battled Lord Zedd on his own, became a preteen, unsure of how to get back to his teenage self, he's been to the moon and back, has been under the influence of dark magic, only God knows how many times. He was even blown off an island, cradling Red, Blue, and Yellow gems. He almost forgot about that time he was fully encased in amber, stuck in his power suit, and how his powers were amplified. He could see kids, but they couldn't see him. He's sustained scrapes, burns, gashes, broken bones, and even a broken heart for during his ranger years. He's been in plenty of precarious situations—he also knew the power would always follow him.

As for Kim, she was sucked into a monster's bottle, was captured in hopes of becoming Lord Zedd's empress, became trapped in a storybook, she unknowingly stepped into an invisible portal and traveled to the 1800s, and there was that time she almost lost her life. That was the scariest thing she ever had to endure. Not only was her power being drained, but so was her life. She couldn't imagine what would've happened had Lord Zedd and Rita's plan been fulfilled. She's been dropped into a pit of lava too. Her essential personality offered, so it could give life to Maligore.

They wouldn't want their children to be Power Rangers. They believed they would often be targeted like how they were. So what, Wes and Jen's son, Carter and Dana's daughter, Conner and Kira's son along with Danny's daughter all formed a team and became Power Rangers. That was the future, they've been heavily trained, and accepted this was their destiny. Those weren't their kids anyways.

Just because they haven't been in his life, since he was an five hours old, Jayden was still their son. Kim wanted to protect him, even if that meant living in another city to keep watch.

"I was upset and angry for what his adopted parents are making him do, but we have to think about Jayden and what he's going through," he sat on the couch. "He's saving the world."

Kim followed and sat with him. "We wouldn't have to be thinking about this kind of stuff, if we just kept him," she regretted her decision... again.

Tommy shook his head. "You agreed a long time ago this was best. We couldn't be parents _and_ Power Rangers."

"But that ended up happening!"

"Damn it, Kim," he angrily cursed at her and pounded his fist on the armrest. "First of all, I became a ranger again after Sophia was born. Second, we were older. Third, I was only supposed to foster the group. I wasn't even supposed to be a damn ranger, but that fucking Dino Gem had to bond with my DNA. Though it did, I was on the field, what, 50, maybe 75 percent of the time. Did you forget that?! Most of the time I was behind the scenes, only stepping in if they needed help."

"Tommy," she gently said. "We really could have raised him." She buried herself in his arms, so he could calm down.

"No, we couldn't," he scolded bitterly. "If we did, then we would've relinquished the powers, dealt with the repercussions from our parents, and our lives would've changed for the worse. If we kept him, we probably would have ended up hating each other, blaming one another for him being a burden, broken up, and never had the daughter and son we have now," he wistfully rationalized.

Though they bickered and argued, sometimes to the point Tommy would leave for a hotel or the Cranston's house, or Kim would gather the kids and leave for Trini's house, their love was undeniable for one another. He couldn't imagine his life without her, and now, even more, they needed each other to deal with Jayden being the Red ranger.

Even, if they were from afar.

"That's bold of you to say," she involuntarily rolled her eyes at his irrational thoughts.

"It's true," he boldly stated, and he pulled her closer to him. "What would you accomplish by living closer to him anyways?"

"Everything," Kim answered. "I'd get to see him maybe everyday. We'd be able to talk. I want to tell him I'm his mom, and that he doesn't have to do this anymore. He doesn't have to put his life on the line, and he can come and live with us."

"That can't happen," he responded, rather upset with her. "Did you not hear what Andros told us?" Kim's gaze, with pertinent curiosity, wandered to meet his. "Jayden is selflessly putting his life on the line. He wants to do this. We can't just barge in and tell him, 'oh, give up your duty, leave the world unprotected'." He shook his head again. "We can't have his sister, his adopted sister, come out of hiding. She has the one symbol that can defeat this Master Xandred. She's not ready, if she was, then she would've made herself known."

"Then, let's help her," Kim announced, as if that was going to solve everything. "If we can't get Jayden home by informing him now, then we can speed up the process by training her to perform this symbol or whatever."

"Right, because we know so much about being Samurai rangers," he irritably countered.

"Cam, he's a Samurai. We'll pay him to help her," she ludicrously stated.

Tommy exasperatedly buried his face into his strong hands. His wife was as stubborn as a mule. She could probably go back and forth for hours, if he allowed it. He reclaimed some sanity, getting back to the issue at hand. "You are _not_ moving to Panorama City," he infuriatingly ordered, "and that's final!" He got up and exited her office.

Kim was hot on his tail. They were in the kitchen. She watched as Tommy grabbed a bottle of scotch from the cabinets. He was fixing his favorite drink. "Drinking isn't going to solve your problems," she advised wisely.

"Of course not all of them," he momentarily got a relief from his wife's absurd words. He earnestly looked at her, after taking a gulp. "How would I explain this to Sophia and Brennan? Mommy's gone on a vacation? Mommy needs a break? Mommy has a hidden agenda?"

"Don't you dare," she maliciously threatened. "You're gonna make me sound like I've abandoned them."

"That's what you're doing. By moving to Panorama City, you are abandoning your husband, your daughter, and your son," he counted off, which caused her to become upset once more.

She regathered her thoughts, and then she came up with another solution. "We all move then. We won't give up this house, but we just rent a house in Panorama City. What do you think," she was willing to compromise.

"No," he hastily snapped. "The school year is still happening. Tristan is doing great at the preschool. You know how he is, he's always so fussy when he meets new people. I'm not going to burn gas and do a much longer commute from my house to work, and we have to think about Sophia. She goes to school here and her gymnastics is also here.. I'm not pulling her out of either," he found her to be so unreasonable. "I thought we came to a decision, we weren't going to let _her_ know about Jayden being a ranger also. If she found out we were going to living in the same city as the Power Rangers, she's going to put it together."

"You just don't care about _him_," she shouted at the top of her lungs. Her eyes flashed pink, and she stomped away from him.

Before leaving, he took another sip and caught up to her. "That's not it at all, and you know it. We can't get ahead of ourselves and just be wasps, constantly pestering him. I've opened the line of contact by giving him our information. That should be enough. Kim, we can't do this. You're already going to Panorama City because of your shop out there. So, you'll be there, but just not constantly by his side. Isn't Antonio going to help at the opening too? Then, you'll be around _him_ again."

"Fine," she gave in, not wanting to argue anymore. He was right. She would eventually see him. Her chances better now than previous years. "Now, are you sure we're doing the right thing by not telling Sophia she _did_ fight with her brother a few months ago?"

Sadly, Tommy and Kim didn't tell Sophia the truth about her brother. There were a couple of reasons for why she couldn't know. Sophia was a little spitfire, they were almost positive she would find a way to join in on the fight. Furthermore, they alleged Sophia would make extra appearances in the city he lived in, probably giving away that Jayden was adopted. This would make Sophia angry and feel betrayed that they didn't admit to her they have met him, but they would eventually tell her the truth and explain why this was necessary.

"I hate hiding this from her, but we know how Sophia is. You moving there would definitely alert her something was up. Is that what you really want?" His wife shook her head. He grabbed her hand and brought her in for an intimate hug. He kissed her on the lips, since he felt alright to do so "How about we leave the house? Have lunch at _our_ park, and then pick up the kids to go to their favorite place," he hoped to give her a distraction.

Kim softened. "Our park," she asked, knowing that place brought back memories. "I like the sound of that."

Angel Grove Park was definitely a place of solace for them. They quickly headed upstairs to get ready.

**Xxxxx**

**Meanwhile...  
Hayley's Cyberspace  
Reefside, CA**

Brennan, Sophia, Kaylani, Rock Jr, Adrian. and Nadia congregated at the couches that the Dino Thunder rangers used to sit at. From a 'ranger eye', they actually looked like they were a group of Power Rangers. Brennan always sported red, Sophia often wore pink, Kaylani favored green, Rocky Jr had a passion for blue, Adrian claimed green as his signature color and Nadia loved yellow. The difference between them and a group of rangers, they were spread out in different cities. Brennan attended school in Angel Grove, Sophia's district was Reefside, and the rest went to school in Stone Canyon. Though they weren't around each other during school hours, they always met during the weekend, rotating between the Scott's, Oliver's, DeSantos' and Park's house, or when there was special occasion.

Special occasions were often.

On this particular Saturday, all came to Reefside.

Hayley delivered their smoothies to them, while a worker came by with a tray full of food to satisfy the appetites of Rocky's children. Hayley stayed with them for a bit. "Alright, so what are you six up to today," she asked, sensing something was definitely going on or being planned. She placed the tray that would hold drinks to the side of her. They glanced at one another, obviously trying to come up with an answer. "Know what, I don't think I even want to know." She retreated to the back of the counter and occupied her time with other customers.

The six exhaled a breath of relief.

"Why did we come here again," Nadia's asked. She looked around nervously, as if they were being spied on. "Hayley's going to find out, I just know it." She grabbed for her sandwich wrap and chomped down, hastily eating.

"Naddy, shut up," Kaylani forcefully ordered. She loved the girl, but sometimes when Naddy, as that was her nickname, became jumpy she tended to overreact and even overeat. "Just act normal."

"Sis, calm down," Adrian rebuked, and he fished in his backpack for his mini laptop. He easily connected to the WIFI in a matter of seconds.

"Dude, did you even pay Hayley for that," Rocky Jr., or Rock, lowly asked, knowing that Hayley charged $15 dollars for an hour long session. He had to look over his shoulder at the redhead, who was wiping down the counter. She appeared busy enough.

Adrian's eyes grew big in order to shut up his best friend. "Say it louder, Rock, then she'll really know I hacked into her network," he shushed him with a finger firmly planted on his lips. He figured, since he didn't have money on him, he might as well save a few bucks. He didn't even need the internet for long anyways.

Sophia rolled her eyes. "Why don't both of you just blow our covers," she sarcastically accused, and the two bickering boys shrunk in their seats.

Brennan chuckled. He sequestered his girlfriend, who had a knack to instill intimidation in others. "Alright, so what do does he supposedly look like," he got them back on track.

"According to Adrian's genotype software ," Kaylani started, as she pulled out a sheet of paper from her purse, "he would be about six foot or so with dark brown hair, brown eyes and would look like a model." She then held the illustration up for everyone to see.

They all glanced at the photo. He appeared to be a regular Joe Schmo.

Adrian, with his expanse brain and flair for studying genetic material, offered to give Sophia an idea of what her brother potentially looked like. In his laboratory, which was basically his room, he began with what Tristan and Tommy looked like. He took certain features from those two and made an avatar, which was a fairly rough idea. Following that, with what he knew about genetics and the information he was able to gather from Sophia's hair, he made this picture.

"Then that could be him over there," Rock pointed inconspicuously at a random a guy, "Or that guy over there, or him." He was obviously unimpressed with these findings and stuffed his face with more food.

"No, they don't look like models," Naddy mindlessly bumbled, since that didn't correlate with what they were provided with. She shrugged.

These six were planning on a way to meet Jayden.

There were definitely plenty holes about Jayden's background. After Kim announced that she met Jayden on his most recent birthday, the past rangers still seemed unsuccessful in actually locating him. So, Sophia and her closest friends thought about finding him themselves and then bringing him back to Reefside. They thought this would be the right and heroic thing to do. All Sophia wanted to do was surprise her parents and little brother, give them a little peace of mind, and of course she wanted that older, protective, big brother. She hoped to meet him and build a relationship with him. They were unsure of where to begin, so a picture would be a clue at least.

They were also positive six brains were better than one. Plus, they were pretty precocious and determined to accomplish what the adults couldn't.

However, they were pretty clueless that one of them already met him, and he was definitely related to power.

"Looks like a model," Sophia repeated in utter shock while reclining back in her seat. She rested comfortably once Brennan placed an arm around her. "Since when is that picked up from genes?"

"Your dad_ is_ of model good looks," Lani, short for Kaylani, pointed out. "Not to mention, Tristan is a very cute tot. I can see him modeling for Gap Kids," she confidently stated.

"Well, I did also do the recessive genes," Adrian said in his defense. He continued typing and moved his mouse around. In no time at all, he came up with another picture. He didn't want to print it out here, so he showed everyone his computer screen.

All six clamored to take a look, making sure to block any unnecessary eyes.

Surprisingly, Tommy and Kim's daughter deemed this picture believable. "Adrian, you _are_ a a genius," she complimented, looking at the blue eyes, strong features, and nicely tousled hair. This picture was pretty vivid, a definite contrast to the other one. She was amazed that Adrian could pick up genetic markers from strands of her hair and come up with something like this. As she stared harder, she thought this combination of features reminded her of someone. The blue eyes were so haunting. She wasn't sure where she seen them before though.

"Yush, loosh lysh a model to mesh," Rock grumbled around a hefty bite of food.

"Sophia, don't take this the wrong way, but if that's really what your brother looks like, then he is pretty hot," Adam and Tanya's daughter whistled as she tossed back some of her curly hair, thinking he was actually around.

"Oh gross, you guys," Brennan muttered in annoyance, while placing down his drink on the table. "This is just a picture. You can't get hot and bothered over a picture."

"I don't know," Naddy fanned herself with her right hand, as she continued to look. "He's _really_ cute, kinda like Tuxedo Mask in Sailor Moon." Kaylani eagerly agreed with her.

"Disgusting," Brennan contorted his face to show his distaste. "Dude, he's like old now, and Naddy and Kaylani, hate to break it to you too, but that Tux guy is just a cartoon."

"Whatever," Naddy and Kaylani echoed each other.

"Okay, so do we really think we'll be able to find him based on all of this," Adrian earnestly wondered, as he sipped his drink. He made sure to save the picture on his computer. "I mean, this is a long shot. Our parents have been to Aquitar, KO-35, Eltar, Edenoi, they even have use of the computers on the Astro Megaship III, but still haven't found him. In my opinion, that is rather odd."

"Well, it's not like my parents or anyone else has come remotely close," Sophia truthfully thought. She was positive her parents would enlighten her if they did. Her mom's been pretty mum about it lately. That caused Sophia to think her mom has been swept in the fury of getting last touches of her shop together, or the person she met in Panorama City wasn't Jayden. She had to find out for herself. This search was taking too long. "I'd say, let's go to Panorama City, find a teen hangout, and go from there. I'm sure we'll run into him."

"When," her boyfriend asked, since he was definitely interested to go.

"Are you sure," Naddy queried in fright. She's never left a city without adults accompanying her. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

Kaylani caught that vindictive glint in Soph's eyes. She was formulating a plan, and it was going to be a good one. "I'm in," she already said, almost way too eagerly, not needing to hear anything else.

Adrian's eyes bugged out of his head. "Kay, are you crazy," he hissed. Though, Sophia was the heart of this group, she was also the daredevil, or the devil in disguise. Though, he would never admit that to her face. So, as of right now, this girl definitely had something up her sleeve. "Soph, come on, think about this rationally."

Rock mimicked Kaylani's enthusiasm. He didn't want to look like or act like a pussy in front of his friends, so he readily agreed. "What's the plan, Stan?" He actually even placed down a plate of food, giving his undivided attention.

"Who's Stan," Naddy chirped.

Everyone groaned. They loved Nadia, she was sweet, funny, kept them out of trouble, but she did act like a ditz sometimes.

"Alright, here it is," Sophia whispered, making sure Hayley didn't have a clue of what they were up to.

**Xxxxx**

**Two Weeks Later  
Downtown  
Panorama City, CA**

"Guys, I'm hungry," Rock whined in a child like way, as he followed his friends down the busy street. He looked around, and there were plenty of food carts, but one stood out the most and was only a few feet away. "Ooh, kebobs," he excitedly motioned, making sure they all saw. "Follow me!"

"Rocky," the others complained but knew they couldn't leave a man behind.

Naddy admitted her stomach had been grumbling. She ordered five. She overheard her brother whimper he didn't have any money, so she ended up also paying on his behalf. Brennan paid for his food along with his girlfriend's. Adrian, who saved his allowance for this excursion, was able to hand money over for his and and his sister's meal. The six found a spot and sat at a table.

They arrived in Panorama City an hour ago. Sophia's plan was for all of them to ditch school when she knew her mom wasn't going to come to the shop. Without her mom's interference, they had a whole day to freely roam around. They would take their city's bus, and they would converge at a neutral point. Her theory, Jayden was a high school student, so she found the address to the high school. For this 'mission', she was leader and assigned them jobs. She appointed Rock to find the places where all the teens would go for lunch, in case he went off campus during that time. Adrian was ordered to bring his laptop for obvious reasons. Lani, since she appeared older than the rest, could probably blend in on campus if that was needed. Naddy was the one to keep them on their toes by constantly reminding them of the time and when they should leave. As for Brennan, he provided support for everyone.

The night before, they all Skyped and reminded each other of what they needed to survive the day, such as, cell phones and money.

It seemed like Rock forgot about his money. "Sis, I'll pay you back," he promised, as he took a bite and chewed.

"You're fine," she assured him, and she looked at her watch. "Alright, it's close to 11:00. Time is on our side. Our parents," she pointed between herself and her brother, "think he has soccer practice after school, and I'm doing a school project with Lani, "

The next to speak was Lani. "Right, my mom and dad think I'll be with you," she pointed at Naddy. "And obviously, Adrian also has 'soccer practice' after school."

"My parents think I'll be at martial arts club," Brennan supplied.

"And of course, mine believe I'll be at gymnastics practice," Sophia said.

Adrian, who was also seen as a tech wiz, connected his laptop to wireless internet. He did some configurations, infiltrated voicemails, and made sure their parents weren't notified about their absences. "Alright, so where's this high school at," he queried.

Sophia got her cell phone out. "It's about a mile from here," she answered. "How long will that take us to walk there?"

"Probably 20 minutes, maybe faster if we ran," Kaylani quickly figured out.

"Well, I think it's better if we stayed downtown. I was able to gather this is where all the major food places are and where the teens hang out plus there's an arcade," Rock informed.

"I'm with Rock," Brennan updated.

The others seemed to agree. For another hour, they remained where they were. Instead of letting this hour boringly dwindle, the six initiated a kata taught to them. This was a special one, since it was developed while the Ninjetti were on the planet of Phaedos. Though Brennan's parents weren't one, he still knew the moves. They respectfully bowed and were silent when moving. Their arms flowed to the left and then to the right. Resuming starting position, their left arm smoothly, yet tautly swooped up, followed by the right arm repeating the same. They shifted their feet. Their legs fluidly moved to perform a swipe of their right leg up, and then the left leg extended like the right had. They repeated another five sets.

A crowd formed, watching these preteens gracefully in motion. For one, he firmly stood, his arms crossed in front of him with shopping bags in his hand, and he was garbed in a burnt orange like kimono shirt, long, black pants and wooden slippers. He watched in awe, amazed that these children were able to perform something this intricate. In his opinion, they did look beautiful together. He noted the colors too. Minus the black, he internally laughed that they looked like his own team. He saw their things on a table, and he placed a twenty there. People copied him.

Once the teens were done, they were met with unexpected applause. They almost jumped at the noise. Even more shocking, they found some money near their backpacks. Their eyes enlarged.

Mentor Ji had been watching. He clapped for them. "Such style, such grace, it's great to see this in a younger generation," he genuinely complimented as he gently approached them.

"Stranger danger," Naddy shrieked and bolted to grab her things. She protectively cradled her stuff, expecting her friends to do the same. "Guys?" She came back to their side, thinking the five of them had gone crazy in the head.

"Naddy," they nagged, telling her to be quiet.

"Thank you," Brennan acknowledged on their behalf. He took a good look at the man and found the man didn't allude to cruel intentions. His friends faced the older man too.

"Now, this may be none of my business, but you six don't appear to be over the age of 14. Shouldn't all of you be in school," Ji earnestly questioned, while giving them a stern eye, but only because he was concerned about their general welfare. The streets were usually littered with monsters. The rangers weren't as close as they usually were, since they were in the countryside. The six were sent there in an attempt what has never been done before, and that was to tame the Zord with primal power—the Bullzord. Yesterday, Cody, a young guardian whose been able to talk to the zord since he was three, became trapped in the cockpit. They've been trying to free him, but that was difficult due to the zord running rampant.

According to Jayden, it was like Cody 'was stuck on a runaway train'.

Ignoring his thoughts, Ji's eyes zeroed in on teen that stood out the most to him. She bared a faint resemblance to someone he knew.

"Oh, uh," Lani responded with anticipation her friends would quickly come up with something.

Sophia stood right in front of them, really soaking up the role of leader. She intervened and politely smiled at Ji. "We were just getting on our way. We'll be back to school in no time," she smartly retorted She grabbed her backpack, haphazardly slinging it over one of her shoulder's and told her friends they needed to get going. They began to walk away.

Mentor watched for a moment, then furrowed his brows. "Excuse me," he headed towards them—again. They flinched, scrambling words together in hopes of making him go away. "Middle school is that way," he helped by pointing them in what was intended to be the 'right' direction.

They keenly nodded, realization dawning on their youthful faces. They went in the opposite of where they initially thought to go.

Ji turned to go to his motorcycle, but the ground suddenly began to shake furiously. He tossed his eyes behind him, as he saw the issue that was happening in the far distance, more specifically on top of the mountains. The ravaging Bullzord was rapidly barreling down, dangerously teetering very close to the edge. One wrong move, and the first Samurai Zord would tumble down to the city and inflict major damage. He gasped while his eyes roved to the group of kids he was just talking to. They were in a deep trance it looked like, watching the the commotion that was going on. He quickly raced towards them, hastily pushing and trying to protect them. He persisted through the cries and pleas that they could handle themselves. He doubted that and moved them to an awning for their safety.

Every which way, rigid rocks, flaming debris, fused together clumps of dirt, and smoke from the Bullzord's tires were showering down. Innocent citizens, dodging the hazardous upheaval, ducked and covered themselves in fear being struck. They ran for their lives so quickly in hopes of not getting hit.

Sophia felt around her body, almost in a panic. Everyone else had their backpack but her. Her eyes darted everywhere, wondering where it could've been. They only moved just a second ago. There it was on the ground roughly fifty feet away from them. She tapped her boyfriend on the shoulder. She told him what happened. He couldn't hear her, since her voice seemed to be drowning in the sea of deafening noises. "It must've fallen off," she shouted towards him, her finger signaling her bag.

The Bullzord soared in the air. Everyone in the vicinity got a very good look at the new Zord. Mentor proudly watched. His rangers did good once again.

Tommy and Kim's daughter admired the newest addition as well, but her backpack wasn't in her possession still. Thinking the coast was clear and without another thought, Sophia hastily ran, preventing her petite self from touching the litter, to get the pink and white item.

"SOPHIA," her friends urgently shouted, once they realized she booked it without a word.

She instantly retrieved her bag and excitedly held it up for them to see. She was ready to come back now. Suddenly, a raging fireball and hardened rubble from the combusted Nighlock that was just ejected from the flying Zord powerfully struck her in the back. Upon the powerful impact, her body flew in the air like a weightless rag doll."Ahhh," Sophia screamed in terror. She voluntarily closed her eyes, bracing for the worst. She painfully skidded against the pavement further encountering more broken and inflamed pieces. She unnaturally traveled for a few more feet, her body finally coming to a rolling stop. Her bag dropping from her hand.

"Nooo," Brennan yelled and immediately headed for her. His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. He didn't care if he was going to be caught in something harmful, all he cared about was getting her, his girlfriend, out of there. He rescued her, ignoring the sweat and other liquid sticking to his body, and ran back to where his friends and Mentor were. Once under the awning, he instantaneously dropped to the ground, panting heavily. He unveiled her body for everyone to see.

She looked lifeless. She had various cuts, scrapes and burns, up and down her body. One cut was rather long and open. Blood profusely exiting.

They looked in shock. Nadia and Kaylani began to cry, each respectively burying themselves into Adrian and Rock's arms.

Mentor had to do something. He immediately grabbed his phone.

"_911, what is your emergency..." _


	20. Chapter 20- The Transfusion

**Chapter 20- The Transfusion**

**Xxxxx**

**Reefside High School- Dr. Oliver's Class  
Reefside, CA**

The current students in Dr. Oliver's class were taking an exam about the periodic table.

Tommy was sitting on a stool, grading science reports. Every five minutes, he ascended his head to make sure no one was cheating. Once seeing no one was, he would return back to the papers on his desk. He began to feel hot under his collar suddenly. He undid the top button of his red, dress shirt, hungrily inviting air to cool his neck. Still uncomfortable, he undid another one. Thankfully, his students were diligently working on their tests and not paying him any attention. Before engaging in what could only look like a strip show, however, his cheeks became red, and he felt like scalding water was thrown on his body.

One student looked up, as if the answer to the question he was working on was written above him. Finally, it dawned on him, and he circled his answer. The next question was a doozy, so he repeated the same motion, but this time, he caught a glimpse of his teacher. He intently watched, and it was obvious to him his teacher was sick. He continued viewing the uneasy movements. At this point, he thought his teacher was going to pass out. He nimbly jumped out of his seat, causing his chair to loudly bang on the tile floor and alerting the other students that something wasn't right. "Dr. Oliver," he lunged before his teacher fell to the floor.

The rest of the students hopped out of their seats, all wanting to take a look themselves. Then, one female pupil booked it to the office, another headed for the room phone, and a few students grabbed sheets of papers to create a fan in hopes of cooling him down.

Through dreary eyes, Tommy nodded listlessly that he was okay.

The female student returned with Principal Mercer—this being her last school year, and the school nurse . Mrs. Mercer was certain this had to be due to his residual powers. Tommy was an active, healthy man, who participated in various activities to remain in shape. To her, this man was a beast. There was no explanation for this little spell. As the school nurse checked on him, Elsa made eye contact, questioning if her assumption was correct. She watched him shrug.

"Dr. Oliver, I will find you a substitute. Please, take the rest of the day off," she advised him, as a friend rather than a colleague.

"That can't be right," the nurse murmured in confusion. She retook his blood pressure. The findings were still the same. "Dr. Oliver, you need to go to the hospital right away. Your blood pressure is way too high; you might have a heart attack if this isn't taken care of properly."

"No," Tommy adamantly denied. He shook his head, and his students helped him up to his stool. They filed back to their seats after that, and futilely tried to finish their exams. They were more concerned with what was happening in the front of the room. Tommy was about to say one more thing, but his cell phone began to vibrate. Defying his own classroom policy about cell phones, he grabbed for the item, and saw Tristan's daycare was calling him. _This isn't good,_ he thought to himself. He held the item up for his boss, so he could privately take the call outside. She nodded that she would keep watch after his class. Both Tommy and the school nurse exited; male teacher remained by the lockers, female nurse headed back to the office. Quickly, he answered the phone. "Hello." Deafening wails of a toddler sounding like he or she was constantly being inflicted with pain instantly greeted him. He shoved the phone way because it was that loud, but the realization that was his son caused him to bring the phone back to his ears. "Is that Tristan," he frantically questioned.

"_Dr. Oliver,"_ the daycare teacher sounded like she had just been rescued, _"Dr. Oliver, can you pick up Tristan? He's been uncontrollably crying for the past 15 minutes."_

"What happened?"

"_He was playing with the other kids, and then all of a sudden he dropped to the floor, rolling around left and right. We thought he was having a seizure."_

"My son isn't epileptic!"

"_Yes, we know. He doesn't have a history of that, but we're trained in dealing with seizures, so we wanted to help. He did stop, and the daycare teachers have tried everything to calm him down, but he won't respond to any of us. We don't know what to do."_

"What is he doing now," he asked, as he reentered the room. He alerted Elsa something was wrong. He used his free hand to gather up stacks of paper, then stuffing them into his briefcase.

"_He's in the corner crying right now. Dr. Oliver, I apologize to bother you at your work, but this is really unlike him," _she said her sorry._ "It's like some other child took over his body."_

"No, you're fine. I'll be there," he said above a whisper.

"_Oh, and Dr. Oliver, we tried to phone your wife first, but she didn't answer her phone."_

"I'm sure she just didn't hear the phone ring," Tommy lied on her behalf. "I'll see you soon." He hung up the phone and explained what was going on to his boss."Tristan's daycare called. He's not feeling well."

That was definitely sugar coating it.

Elsa was beginning to think she was right. "Have you called your wife," she whispered back. He shook his head. "I think you should. Call her on the way when up Tristan and just go home. I already called for Mrs. Schmidt to take over your classes."

He agreed. He briefly scanned if he was missing anything, even checking his pockets to make sure he had his wallet and keys. He bid adieu to the principal. His substitute was walking his way, as he was about to leave. He graciously thanked her for filling in on such short notice. While heading to his car, so many thoughts raced through his mind. He almost fainted in class, Tristan was wildly crying and his wife didn't pick up her phone, which was attached to her hip. All of these were signs something occurred, and it wasn't good.

**Xxxxx**

**Oliver House- Kim's Office**

Stabbing paroxysms. Piercing tingles. Burning sensations.

One minute she was working on her latest design, the next minute she was physically suffering. She tried her best to stand upright but couldn't. Invisible weight held her down. "Oh God," she cried, desperately praying for this to stop. Her husband's ringtone went off constantly. She heavily breathed in and out, hoping to assuage this onslaught, but that only seemed to heighten what was happening to her. She lurched like a snake to get to her phone. She needed help—his help. Though her phone was on table, only a few feet away, it felt like it was in Angel Grove.

Suddenly, she felt constricted, unable to move at least a centimeter. Tears flowed freely, as she ultimately entered paralysis.

This was reminiscent of the time Tommy entered his coma.

**Xxxxx**

**Cody's House  
Panorama City, CA-Countryside**

Though their task for the day seemed a little unconquerable, like Master Xandred fitting into a pair of woman's pantyhose, they accomplished it. With the help of Colton, Cody's dad, who provided the pivotal disc, and Cody, who concentrated all of his Symbol Power 'to tame the beast', they now had a new ally, the Bullzord. In addition, they were able to unlock Shogun Mode, which further accelerated their power from the number 10 to 100 while in Mega Mode. All the trials of this day were well worth it.

Cody, excited that he helped the Samurai rangers, eagerly babbled about how he could be of additional benefit to the team. Possibly, act as a junior ranger and help when necessary.

"Whoa, calm down, Cody," Mia brightly beamed, as she placed her soft hand on his shoulder in an attempt to pacify him. "I think you've had enough excitement for the day."

The others laughed.

"Aw, man," the extraordinary boy kicked the ground but remained happy. "I so helped you guys out," he proudly stated.

"You sure did," Jayden readily concurred.

"Are you sure you guys can't stay," Colton asked, holding up another tray of drinks for them. "I'm sure you all have the rest of the afternoon off, if you know what I mean," he insinuated with a wink. His exterior went from cold to warm, as soon as his son came home and told him what happened while he was stuck in the Bullzord. The father deeply apologized to his son for not believing him at first, and he hoped that his son could forgive him for basically making him run off. Cody didn't think anything of it, but still accepted the apology. He also saw his father's eyes held a glimmer of pride that wasn't there before.

Jayden invested his remaining time at the countryside, intently watching the father and son duo. He reminisced to himself about how his dad and him were once like that. He had envious blue eyes because he could no longer interact with his dad like he. He thought about his dad and how he amicably put his life on the line to protect the world. He remembered the strength his dad exhibited while practicing, and the love he possessed when he was teaching his sister the same moves. Maybe, one day he'll engage in that kind of fatherly, son interaction, but instead of him being the son, he'll be the dad.

Of course, that would be far in the future. Him and Mia haven't gone father than kissing, but he knew the next step would be consummation. He was falling in love with her everyday. He saw how great she was with Cody, and she's talked about her daycare experience. She loved kids, and that was obvious. She really was a great person, and he was very lucky to have her in his life. Though Mentor would constantly scold them and prevent them from getting too close, he still had hope that Ji would one day sit him down and offer relationship advice or speak of how the female species operated. He was still utterly clueless about how to be with her, and how he could keep the flame ignited between the two.

"Alright, we should-", Jayden wanted their attention, but before finishing, he felt like his chest was closing in. He tried his hardest to breath, event attempting the unconventional method of inhaling via his mouth, but it was not to no avail. He mustered whatever strength he had left and sat on the closest item. The _burning _sensation thunderously assailed his body. Bullets of sweat perspired on every inch too. He attempted to make a noise to alert his friends, but it was so difficult. He didn't understand how this was going on. Still tightly clenching the upper half of his body, he loudly gasped for air, successfully.

The rangers plus Colton and Cody rapidly whipped around to look at Jayden. The seven were tossed into a state of panic, after realizing he was in excruciating pain. Mia was the first to be by his side. She thoroughly checked on him, not finding a definite cause. Colton headed for the kitchen to grab a wet, wash cloth, Cody followed to get a cup of water, Kevin questioned what happened, Mike consoled Emily, who was definitely distressed, and Antonio phoned Ji immediately.

The Red ranger could no longer sit. He descended to the ground, curling into fetal position, wondering when this was going to end. It was just too unbearable.

"You got it Mentor," the Gold ranger quickly shut his phone and faced at the others. "We need to get Jayden to the hospital. Mentor is already there. Apparently, he's with a group of kids. One of them got hurt while trying to get a backpack," he updated the group.

"How did that happen," Mike questioned in disbelief.

"Do you think Jayden can make the trip," Cody nervously asked them. He thought back to when they were in the Bullzord. He supposed after he left, Jayden got hurt when fighting the Nighlock.

"Yeah, we're just gonna have to use Symbol Power," Kevin notified, a bit reluctant to use their power for personal use, but this was obviously a dire situation.

Mike and Antonio went to each of Jayden's sides and slung his arms over their shoulders. Mia and Emily stood directly behind them. Kevin faced the dad and son pair. "Once we find out, we'll give you and update," he promised them.

Colton and Cody agreed.

"Symbol Power," the Blue ranger drew the symbol, thinking the action was too familiar, but the reason wasn't. "Teleport."

In a flash of light, the Samurai rangers left.

**Xxxxx**

**Panorama City Hospital**

Once the ambulance arrived to pick up the unconscious Sophia, the paramedics immediately got to work in an attempt to resuscitate her. Her vitals were dropping at a rapid rate, so they needed to rush her to the hospital at that very moment. The paramedics were used to people getting injured because of the fights between good and evil. The persons that ran to get away from Moogers or Nighlocks would slip and fall, and that would cause a cut. The leftover bits and pieces were interesting to a majority. Curiosity caused them to want to touch or claim a piece of history and a simple burn would result. That was pretty much the norm. There were only two cases where death resulted, and it was because an enormous piece of a building unfortunately fell on them. Sophia's case, however, was vastly different—she was directly pierced from behind and suffered even more injuries when she tumbled down.

Mentor appointed himself to ride with her to the hospital. Police officers offered to call the parents of the rest of the group, but they adamantly denied it. Their wish was to go where she was going. The officers tried their best to explain that wasn't the best decision, since they believed they didn't need to see anything like this. Ji intervened and demanded for them to go to the hospital as well. He wanted them escorted in police cars, since they all couldn't fit with them in the ambulance. The older gentleman swore he'd watch after them and Sophia especially. Brennan, Rock, Kaylani, Adrian and Nadia looked at the man with admiration, since he wouldn't let them separate from their best friend and was willing to protect them all.

When they arrived at the hospital, Sophia was wheeled to one of the emergency rooms. The doctors found her right arm was broken, her back had second degree burns, and where she was bleeding profusely from was because pieces, which they classified as shrapnel, were embedded into her skin. She lost quite a bit of blood and required a blood transfusion, and several nurses were already checking to see if they had her blood type in stock. They presumed she must've hit her head also because she was in a comatose state.

Mentor kept his eye on Sophia just like he promised. There was still some black dirt on her face, the corner of her left lip's skin opened, revealing blood, a breathing apparatus was aiding her, IVs were poking her veins, and her right arm was already cradled into a sling. Underneath the covers, her leg was securely wrapped. He wasn't sure whether to scold her or cry tears of happiness, once she came to. He wanted to know what she was thinking when she ran out there to get a backpack. What was so important inside that backpack anyway, he mentally asked himself. His curious gaze fell on the pink and white item. He wouldn't dare open it. His dad taught him better than to open a female's purse, wallet or backpack. That was considered bad luck.

Intermittently, in 15 minute intervals, he alternated between Sophia's room and the waiting room. He checked on the rest of Sophia's friends. Brennan was given fresh scrubs because his clothes had splotches of Sophia's blood spattered on it. He even received some treatment because he got cut from of the fragments that was stuck in his girlfriend's skin. Naddy ate trying to gain some comfort, but would return back to crying. Lani internally berated herself for being so quick to agree to this plan and thinking this could've been prevented. Adrian was worried about how to explain this to his parents, all of their parents. Rock tried everything to comfort his sister and the rest of the gang.

As soon as Mentor saw the rangers, paying the most attention to the person he's been guarding for awhile, he reminded the younger kids to call their parents. He politely excused himself. As he walked up to them, he saw what Antonio had talked about. Jayden was fairly conscious, but it was obvious he needed prompt medical attention.

Once he left, the group of preteens got to talking.

"We should just call Uncle Tommy and Aunt Kim first," Adrian blurted, as he made eye contact with each of them.

"And what do we tell them, huh," Rock hissed. "We ditched school, took city buses by ourselves, came to Panorama City to search for your son, and oh yeah, Sophia got hurt really badly," he acrimoniously stated. "Dude, they'll kill us. Not to mention, they'll bring us back to life, so our parents could kill us again!"

"Well, what other choice is there," Naddy cried. She wiped her eyes, then she looked at her watch. At this time, they would be getting out of school. They still had some time before any suspicions were raised. However, Sophia didn't look like she was going to make a speedy recovery. "She _is_ hurt really badly. They'll want to know."

"Maybe, they already do know," Kaylani supposed. "Animal spirits can do freaky things. Just because our powers aren't on the same level as our parents, we still possess them. They could be hearing the cry of the dove, right now, as we speak."

To this day, Tommy, Kim, Aisha, Rocky, Adam and Billy could still call on their animal spirits. For some of their sparring sessions, which they often did for exercise, they would morph into their Ninjetti robes, executing the same moves of their teen years. The 'Great Power' was also passed down to their children. As mentioned, Sophia was the Dove, and her little brother, Tristan, was the Eagle. Nadia's spirit was the Cougar, while Rock's was the Baboon. Kaylani was the Salamander and Adrian was the Bullfrog.

"Then, that gives us even more reason to tell them. We can't let them find out she's in a coma by a cry of her animal spirit," Adrian retorted, as he nervously raked his fingers through his hair. "Come on, you guys!"

"B, what are you thinking about," Rock asked, since the other guy in this group appeared to be in deep thought.

"Didn't Sophia tell us about when Uncle Tommy was in a coma, and Aunt Kim used her animal spirit to connect with his," he reminded all of them.

After Tommy was out of the amber, a domino effect seemed to occur. He couldn't demorph from his power suit. When he could, his power of invisibility was amplified, and he stayed in that way for some time. To return to normal, he offered his Black, Dino Gem to fuel the remolecularizer. Though Hayley and Billy told him the idea was dangerous, he still believed that was the only way. As a result, he became visible but the machine went haywire and ended up electrocuting Tommy. Consequently, he entered a coma. He was in the coma for about two hours before Kim, who gained enough strength back, decided to get involved. She used the Crane to link with the Falcon. Kim had to witness Tommy fight his former selves, but at least he woke up soon after.

The others nodded about that.

"So, what if all of you guys connected with Sophia to wake her up," Jason and Trini's son rationalized.

That sounded like a great idea, but Adrian thought otherwise. He analytically broke it down for everyone. "Our powers aren't as proficient as theirs," he pointed out. "Aunt Kim has had her Crane power for how long, and think about it, she's his mate. Of course, she was going to break through to him. Furthermore, it took six Ninjetti to revive Zordon. We," he pointed between himself and his sister, "are only half Ninjetti. That means there's technically only three of us. I still don't think we have enough power to help her out of this."

His sister smacked him upside the head for even referencing Zordon. "Are you stupid?! She's not dead," she angrily muttered.

"I know that, but I'm just providing facts," Adrian yelled back.

A nurse and doctor walked by with severe looks on their faces. They, the group of friends, nervously laughed as a response. The older people walked away without saying a word. A collective breath of relief came out of their mouths. They needed to be a team instead of being at each other's throats.

"You guys _can_ do it," Brennan confidently encouraged. He faced one of his best friends, pleading with his eyes. "Adrian, this is for Sophia."

After calming down, Adrian's sister spoke. "We should at least try," Lani said, hoping for her brother to agree. "Come on."

Rock and Naddy held the same sentiment.

"Trust me, if I was a Ninjetti, I'd be with you guys," Brennan swore with all of his heart while his brown orbs wandered to the emergency room doors that led to where she was. He could admit she was stupid for running out there, but she shouldn't be punished like this for doing so. "I can't lose Sophia."

"None of us can, " Rock supported him by slinging an arm over his shoulder. "Even if we didn't use or powers, she's a fighter, and she can pull out of this. She probably just needs a little push."

"Alright, let's do it," Adrian reluctantly gave in. "How are we gonna get back there," he asked them.

Out the blue, four teenagers arrived next to them. There were three guys and one girl. They inquisitively examined the five younger people. The young people bared a resemblance to people they've seen before.

"Our, um, Ji," Antonio stumbled over his words a bit, "told us to check on you. He's with our friend."

"Oh, thanks," Brennan acknowledged with a smile. "He's really nice and has been looking out for us."

"Are you guys okay," Emily questioned, as she sat on a chair that was near them. "We heard about your friend. It's really sad."

"Yeah, we've never heard of something like that before," Mike said, upset to know that their friend was in the hospital as a result of one of their battles.

"What were you guys doing out of school anyways," Kevin somewhat interrogated, but he felt stupid after the query exited his mouth.

Emily became upset. "Kevin," she barked, "does it matter now!? Their friend is really hurt." She turned her attention back to the preteens. "What's your guys' names? I'm Emily. As you already know, that's Kevin, this is Mike, and that's Antonio."

Naddy introduced her friends. "I'm Nadia, but you can also call me Naddy. This is Kaylani-"

"Or Lani," the other girl chimed in.

"This is my brother Rocky, but he usually goes by Rock, that's Lani's brother, Adrian, and this is Brennan, Sophia's boyfriend," she concluded.

"Oh man," Mike commented and took a seat next to him. "Is it hard for you? Your girlfriend is in the hospital, and it looks like you got hurt too."

"It's nothing," B replied in a macho way. "How's your friend doing?"

"He's under stable condition now. They already did the standard tests. He's talking, breathing normally, and the doctors have classified him as being too stressed," Antonio answered, thinking that couldn't be the real reason but was willing to accept the explanation, so they could get out of there. "He should be discharged within the next thirty minutes or so."

"That's cool," Rock bobbed his head. He looked at the others expectantly.

These arrivals foiled their plans to help Sophia. They were all thinking of way to get away from them, so they could sneak to the back. They needed to devise one, since only 18 or older could be visitors. If accompanied by an adult, they were positive only one at a time could head back there.

In the next minute, Mentor, along with Mia, came back to the waiting room.

"There's an issue," Mentor revealed, as he looked at his rangers and Sophia's friends. Their curiosities were definitely piqued now. "Sophia needs a blood transfusion, but she seems to have a rare blood type. They looked in their blood storage and have ran out of her kind. They're worried if she doesn't receive the one that matches her the best, then she'll suffer a worst fate than she has now."

"What kind of blood type is she," Mia inquired about, readily willing to donate to her if she was match. She wanted to help out any way she can.

"AB negative. Unfortunately, I'm not match," Ji sadly said. He hoped the others could help though.

The rangers spoke amongst themselves, while Sophia's group privately talked about what they were informed of. Naddy and Kaylani were once again upset. Their friend was in critical condition and time was running out. Adrian, Rock and B decided to call her parents. Adrian said that was best because parents were the factors that would dictate blood type in their children.

A nurse unexpectedly came running out of the back. She whispered to Ji what she was recently told.

"He is," Mentor incredulously questioned, as he stared down at her, hoping she wasn't pulling his leg.

The nurse eagerly nodded. "While running tests on the vile of his blood, the phlebotomist was able to determine he has the same blood type as her," she elaborated. "If he's up to it, he can donate. It's vital that it happens now."

"I don't know," Mentor was wary, since they weren't sure what exactly caused Jayden to act this way. Granted, he was better now than he first arrived.

The nurse's work phone went off. "Excuse me, I need to take this call," she informed and stepped to the side.

"Mentor," Mike glanced at the kids, who were staring back at him with wide eyes. He heartily chuckled and changed his tone. "Ji," he cleared his throat next, instantly pocketing his hands in his jean pockets as an anxious quirk. "What did the nurse say?"

The rest of the rangers gathered around.

"Jayden's a match," he whispered to them.

"Can he really donate," concern was packed thickly into Mia's question. She was worried about her boyfriend. Like Antonio, she didn't buy he was stressed and believed there was a deeper issue at hand. She shook her head in fear, thinking something could happen if he did so.

After hanging up the phone, the nurse stepped to the side of Ji. "He's agreed," she simply said.

"WHAT," the rangers incredulously chorused together.

Sophia's friends were interested in what was happening now.

"Their rooms are right next to each other, and he overheard the problem. He offered to donate," she informed.

"Even if in his condition," Kevin had to get this straight.

The nurse nodded.

"Is this a safe procedure," Antonio further questioned.

"Yes, it is," she replied to the Gold ranger's inquiry and explained why. "I understand there is major concern here, but as of right now, he's vital to this young girl. She may not wake up from her coma, even with the transfusion, but a least she'll have the necessary blood circulating throughout her system."

"That's really important," Mike agreed with her. "Guys, he wanted to do this, and you know how he is."

"Stubborn as a mule," Mentor noted but smiled nonetheless. Jayden probably saved this young girl's life. He walked to Sophia's friends. "Everything's going to be okay. The transfusion will happen soon." They relaxed a bit. "Were you guys able to get a hold of your parents?"

They looked at one another, knowing they were about to be in deep trouble.

**Xxxxx**

**Oliver House  
Reefside, CA**

Tommy, with Tristan in tow, returned home.

Barely an inch into the door of the preschool, he heard the raging, nonstop cries of his youngest child. He headed straight to the room, panic settling within his tall, muscular body. He tried phoning Kim on the way over there, but for some unknown reason she still wasn't pick up the phone. This was really unlike her. He arrived. Each of the daycare teachers present in the room, and the tots were clearly relieved by his presence. He slowly approached his son, as he wasn't sure what triggered this or what was to come next. Once Tristan saw him, the young boy flung himself into his dad's arms and calmed down considerably. Tommy consoled his son, whose face and eyes were red and felt extremely hot. He gathered his son's lunch pail, and they were on their way.

He placed Tristan on the wooden floor of the house, and like the speed of light he zoomed off presumably to find his mother. First, he stopped by the kitchen. She wasn't there. Next, he took a peek outside. She wasn't out there either. Her office wasn't too far, so he went there. He walked in, and he found his mom flat on the ground, one arm crossed over the other like she was protecting herself. She appeared disheveled, and her makeup was smeared.

"Mommy," he cried, while vigorously shaking her. "Mommy," he yelled this time. He continued, giving a valiant effort in trying to wake his mommy up, but she was unresponsive. He wiped his eyes, quickly back peddling his little body away from her. He helplessly stared, then he got up and ran. "Daddy!"

The Falcon assumed his wife had encountered the same fate as the two. He phoned his daughter a few times, and she wasn't answering her phone. He found that baffling. He alleged the same happened to her, but he'd figure that out, after he checked on his wife. He entered, and the sight was quite horrifying. He knelt down, placed a hand under her neck, elevated it a bit and said those famous words.

"Hey Beautiful, it's time to wake up."

Soon enough, her eyes began to softly twitch. She groaned a bit, as she unraveled her hands and twisted from left to right. The agonizing pain she had before seemingly purged. She looked up, then circled her eyes to finally see the handsome face of her husband. She curled her mouth in to a tender smile, her soft brown orbs expressing how glad she was to see him there.

He exhaled a sigh of relief. She was awake, and he brought her in for an embrace filled with his heart invested. He caressed her back, kissed her temple, and whispered his adoration for her. He signaled for Tristan to come up to them, so he could join in, and they could infuse into one big hug.

Once they parted, Kim whirled her head to the left, right, up, and down. She saw the door was open, expecting her daughter was going to barge in. When she didn't see Sophia, she frowned. Her lips began to tremble, water similar to the color of silver gleamed in her eyes. She now knew what happened. "Sophia's hurt," she declared while allowing Tristan to wrap his arms around her. She started at her son, who still needed his mommy. She began to smooth his hair.

"I'm beginning to think so too," Tommy murmured. He retracted his cell phone from his pocket and dialed for his daughter once more. All he got was her voicemail. He called ten times, sent at least double that in texts, and she still didn't respond."She's not answering." He looked at the clock that was ticking away, and he contacted the gymnastics center.

_"Dr. Oliver, we were just going to call you,"_ Clarice, the office manager, notified. _"No, Sophia isn't here. We were wondering if she was sick or something. That is what happened to her right? She's sick?"_

Tommy must've sounded like a fool. He didn't know where his own daughter was. "Uh, Clarice, you're right! You know me, I have a slight memory problem," he laughed it off. "Sophia is sick, and I just wanted to let you know."

_"Oh... okay,"_ she drew out her words. _"Well, we hope she feels better soon."_

"Bye." Tommy ended the call there, and he gravely looked at his wife and son. "Sophia's not at gymnastics practice."

"Tommy," Fear was highly bubbling to its maximum now in her petite frame. "Where could she be?"

"I'm going to call the cops," he simply said. Before he could, he received a phone call. "Rocky, this isn't a great time right now. Sophia is-"

_"That's the reason why I'm calling you,"_ the Ape interrupted with the best intentions. He took a very deep breath before informing him of what his daughter called him about not too long ago. He was very angry with his children for ditching school and being in a different city, but at least they were safe. He couldn't say the same for the Oliver's daughter though. _"Listen to me very carefully."_

"I don't think I can right now. I have to find Sophia," Tommy harshly stressed.

_"SOPHIA IS IN THE HOSPITAL, RIGHT NOW!"_

"What," the news acted like a knife and stabbed Tommy in the chest. He dropped his phone.

Kim picked it up. She saw Rocky's name on the screen, so she resumed what Tommy couldn't finish. "What happened, Rocky?"

_"Sha and I still don't know everything, but from what we were told, Sophia's hurt pretty badly and in critical condition,"_ he knew a flurry of questions were going to come his way. He added more information. _"She's in Panorama City, and we're going right now. Adrian, Kaylani, and B are also with my son and daughter. You can only imagine what they were doing in that city."_

"Shit," Kim loudly cursed, snapping Tommy out of the shock.

_"Brennan called his parents, and they informed Adam and Tanya. We're all going."_

"We'll be there too," she hung up the phone. "Come on, we gotta go to Panorama City."

"Is that where Sophia is? What's our daughter doing in Panorama City," Tommy finally questioned, picking up Brennan and following Kim, who suddenly regained her strength.

The both ignored their cell phones that were ringing off the hook.

"Think about it," she dismissively responded, as she went to gather items before they left. She intentionally cut him off because there were no time for questions.

**Xxxxx**

**Panorama City Hospital**

Sophia was laying peacefully on the bed. The machines around her rhythmically beeped. For the most part, she was fine. A nurse came in. She examined the patient to see where the drip should be put. She found the right arm would suffice. In the crook of that arm, she pricked, and then used a syringe to draw out some of Sophia's blood. Placing those utensils down, she grabbed the central line, connecting that to the drip and finally hooking it up to a bag from the donor. The AB negative blood began to trickle down.

The nurse watched for a moment to make sure the process was going along smoothly. Already knowing this was a four hour process, she decided she'd check in every 15 minutes. She left her patient's room and made sure to close the door quietly.

The crimson liquid dispersed throughout her body, languidly awakening the Dove, who was in the same condition as her human. Each pump of the blood, filtered into the Dove as well. Thinking she had the strength, the Dove attempted to wake her human. She tried fluttering its wings, but her wings felt like they were still snapped in two. She desperately tried once more, but was only able to soar a foot or two, then fell back down, as if shot by a bullet. She inhaled a bit, remaining persistent. She attempted to soar out of there again, in hopes of waking up her human, but she couldn't. She was extremely hurt- _they_ were extremely hurt. She shrilly shrieked for help from the Falcon, the Crane, or even the Eagle.

She couldn't do this alone.

Though ordered to remain in his bed from given up pints of blood, and even if he was tired, Jayden slipped into Sophia's room undetected. He had to admit curiosity got the best of him. He wanted to know the identity of the person, who needed his blood supply. He felt bad for the young person, and he believed her life just couldn't end at the age of 12. That's why he wanted to help.

As he silently watched her, he began to think the two crossed paths before. The face, though with a gash and a cut lip, seemed eerily familiar to him. After staring for a few minutes more, he remembered. She was the brave teen that aided him when fighting against an army of Moogers. His heart really went out to her. She was a great kid, in his opinion. He was about to leave, but something unnatural was occurring right before his eyes. Her body became encased in pink, she was glowing pink. He witnessed this in shock, completely freaking out that he potentially caused this.

His Symbol Power must have caused this, he mused.

He regretted it. He wanted to apologize, even place a hand on her to stop this from happening to her, but he was restrained from doing so, as ribbons of red energy began to swirl around his body, penetrating his skin. Power began to course through his system. He, then, heard the strong, loud cry of a bird cawing in his ears. The call was so overwhelming he crumpled. He attempted to get up, say something, anything, but that was deemed an impossible feat. A red, fiery Phoenix emerged out of his body. His mouth gaped wide, staring at the grand bird that he thought only appeared in comic books.

The bird, engulfed in raging flames, made eye contact with its human, staring directly into his blue pools. Before Jayden could venture into saying anything, the bird flew right into Sophia's chest, halting the pink glow.

With a deep gasp, Sophia awoke. She quizzically gazed around, though still in great pain. She winced, as she tried to shift herself around, but saw she was connected to machines. She supposed it was best to remain in place. She heard a rattling noise and peered down in the direction of where it was coming from. Right there, on the floor, she saw the long, lean body with brown hair, sapphire eyes and was dressed in a long gown like hers. She stared.

"Jayden?"


	21. Chapter 21- The Deceit

**A/N:** Sorry for the long update. I've been dealing with some medical issues. =/ I hate it.

**A/N: **This takes place after the last chapter.

**Chapter 21- The Deceit**

**Xxxxx**

**Panorama City Hospital  
Panorama City, CA**

She said his name.

She announced his name with such conviction, it startled him.

During their first and last encounter he didn't remember exchanging names.

From his position on the cold floor, his eyes blinked several times in succession before stagnating into a rather long stare, his mouth gaping open too. He noted her caramel tresses, though crazily ruffled, were wavy this time around, she had auburn colored orbs, and she was petite but with muscle. If memory served him correctly, she resembled the standard gymnast. She didn't only look like a gymnast though. Her slight tan, the way her eyes were shaped, and how her lips formed reminded him of someone he'd met recently. He just couldn't give an exact name.

What occurred not too long ago replayed in his head. A flaming, flapping bird flew from his body to her's. First of all, he wasn't sure how that was physically possible. Secondly, if anything exited his body, at least animal related, he was positive it would've been a lion. Thirdly, he hoped he didn't do anything to affect her, in general. He volunteered to donate without thinking about the consequences due to the hospital being without her rare blood type. He didn't think about the possible chemical reaction that could result. All he wanted to do was help and didn't see any harm.

Yet, she was literally fossilized in pink! He had never witnessed anything like that before not even while morphed. And, the red energy that surrounded him? That was baffling, but it was amazing he could t admit that. It was like morphing but with an added shot of a drug, like heroin, powerfully traveling through his veins, producing an out of this world high.

Sophia waited, almost impatiently, for him to say a word, something, or just make a random sound. That's all she wanted. The sink in her room made more sound than this guy, who she positively labeled as her brother—her biological brother. _Drip, drip, drip _irritably, aggravatingly, and so rhythmically played like 'Chinese Water Torture'. Her eyes pleaded for him to talk, give a distraction to the torturous sound, but he just kept looking at her. She vigorously waved her free hand to recapture his attention, but he still didn't respond.

She supposed he was shocked. This wasn't how siblings usually met. However, their back story wasn't typical. All her life, she's been without an older brother, and he's been without a sister, at least that what's she thought. So, she imagined their first visit would be a little awkward: plenty of pregnant pauses, thoughts and questions. Then, eventually, they would get into the groove of things, and she hoped it would turn into something more happier and livelier.

As of this moment, that wasn't the case.

Before she could open her own mouth, a realization sunk in. She _already_ met him. It was at one of the city's parks. She practically chewed him out when he tried to help her with Tristan. He gave a red band aid, and he handled her, _their,_ little brother with ease. That, right there, should have been the first hint to their possible relation. Whenever Tristan met someone new, he would cry, throw a tantrum, squirm his way out of their hands, but with him, he was crawling out of her arms to be with him. Their little brother must've sensed they were related, but couldn't articulate they were. She cocked her head slightly, in hopes of getting a better look. A revelation, now, sunk in.

"You're a Power Ranger," she confidently stated rather than questioned.

He snapped back to reality after hearing that. "Look kid-"

"It's Sophia," she quickly interrupted him, so he could know what her name was. "Do you remember me?"

"Yes, _Sophia,"_ he replied, as he pushed himself off the floor and back on to two feet. He knew what she was hinting to, so he tried to provide the best cover up possible. She couldn't know about his 'side job'. There were rules. "Whatever you saw back at the park, when we first met, it was just a, um..." he was thinking about how to finish his sentence and was failing miserably.

This wasn't her first rodeo. As a daughter to the 'Greatest Power Ranger' ever, she's picked up a few things. Not to mention, she's met and was constantly surrounded by so many teams. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't talk his way out of this one. "I know what you're insinuating to. I can't forget what I saw; don't expect me to try," she announced stubbornly. He attempted to speak, but she droned on."Your phone does tricks that aren't available from any app, on any store, not on Android or Apple, plus your 'phone' is a flip phone, that is so early 2000s. Those red-mouthed, foot soldiers surrounded and attacked you, you have a sword that's not run of the mill, and you wear red."

"What does that have to do with anything," he incredulously questioned the last part, while raising an eyebrow.

"It has plenty to do with everything. Oh, come on," she rolled her eyes at him. "I strongly believe you have a 'friend' that wears blue, yellow, green, and pink. Maybe, even gold."

"How did you... Is that obvious," he asked, while thinking about possibly adding another color to his closet. In his opinion, she was smart, a bit bullheaded also, and knew too much about how Power Rangers operated. She had to be related to a past ranger to know, or she studied the components of a ranger team cause she vied to be one. With her, he wasn't too sure, which was correct. Although their conversation could become somewhat thought-provoking, he needed to leave. Mentor, his girlfriend and his friends were probably worried about him. Likewise, her friends and family were probably concerned about her. It was time they parted ways. "You seem to be alright. I came in to check on you. I should head to my room. Bye, Sophia." He turned to the door.

Internally, her Dove was revitalized, which caused her to feel substantially better. She had to thank him for the boost. His aloof appearance gave way that he didn't understand what happened earlier, or just didn't want to question what happened at all. Therefore, she needed to explain and maybe, hopefully, he could learn the truth about his origins in the process. "Is your name Jayden," she softly questioned.

Jayden took a deep breath. "Yes," he truthfully replied.

"Can I ask you something?"

He warily faced her again.

"Your most recent birthday... my mom was there, wasn't she," she went to staring and playing with her hospital blanket. It was like she reverted back to a curious, girl, coming out of a vividly, bizarre dream, then first learning she had on older brother somewhere in the world. _Finally, she's met him... again._ She smiled to herself, yet she really wished their first meeting was under different circumstances and an even better location.

She wasn't sure how much he knew, but this could be her only chance to talk to him as more than just acquaintances. Her emotions were all over the place, as of right now. She had to wrap her head around the truth.

Her brother was a Power Ranger.

"Yes, Kimberly Oliver," he answered, intently staring at her as she nodded. "Well, if your mom is Kimberly Oliver, then your dad is Dr. Thomas Oliver, which means your parents are the 'Originals'?" He watched her nod once more. "So, they told you about the Power Rangers and how they used to be one." _So, she must have some power, _he mentally mused. He found that unique, and a one in a million chance he would meet a child to a Power Ranger. That was definitely a conversation booster, but he really needed to leave her room and get back to the normality of his life. She was making it hard though."You really should get your rest though. From what I heard, you were severely hurt."

Sophia quizzically gazed at the medical equipment she was attached to. One, in particular, caught her eye the most. She saw blood streaming through to her vein. Now, their relation has really been confirmed. She should've known. The Phoenix that nuzzled her Dove to wake up was _his. _She was about to be healed completely in no time too. "Did you donate your blood to me," she earnestly queried.

"You ask a lot of questions," he feigned a hearty chuckle. He opted to not go into full detail. "Before the nurse comes in, I should _really_ go."

It was now or never.

"You _**are**_ my brother," she ultimately confessed. "You're adopted... my parents are your parents... they gave birth to you, while they were in high school and fighting against evil..." she continued to ramble, informing him of everything she knew.

He swiftly retracted his hand from the door handle and twisted his body back around. She was serious, and she was accusing him of being her brother. That wasn't possible. "Whoa, whoa... WHOA," he held up his hand, halting her from speaking further.

"No, you _are._ Don't try to stop me from talking. You _**are**_ my brother. You have to be my brother. We've been looking for you for the past, well... I don't know how long, but we've been searching. You're here now, and I'm not going to give this up. My parents might have, but I AM NOT," she strongly exclaimed because she was positive.

He shuffled up to her bedside and calmly spoke. "You really must have hit your head very hard, or you're on powerful medication, but I hate to break it to you; I'm _not_ your brother. I'm sorry. I already-" he couldn't reveal he had a sister because that could potentially reveal he wasn't the 18th Shiba Head. He took a deep breath and directly stared into her eyes. "Okay. Look, my parents are deceased. There's no way me and you are related. Do you understand," he asked.

The nurse walked back into the room. She jumped, after seeing Jayden inside. "Mr. Shiba, you're supposed to be resting and not in Ms. Oliver's room," she gently reprimanded with a smile. "I guess you wanted to see where your blood was going," she concluded delicately. She walked a few feet towards her patient. "There shouldn't be any reason to. When, she's out of the coma, you can..." the nurse stopped herself from talking, once she looked at the bed. Her right hand flew to her mouth, as she watched the young lady was awake.

Sophia and Jayden refrained from talking further and faced her.

**Xxxxx**

**Emergency Waiting Room**

Meanwhile, Sophia's best friends were nervously waiting for their parents.

At first, Brennan lied to Ji by telling him they already called. The reason for lying? He didn't want all of them to get in trouble, even if they were bound to. He wanted to wait until his girlfriend was awake, at least. Adrian and Kaylani were on the same wavelength as him.

Naddy, deciding it was best to phone home, stepped away. Even though she thought went undetected, she realized her brother followed. Rock knew what she was up to, and he believed she was doing the right thing. As a result, the DeSantos children called their dad and informed him about Sophia's critical state. An abundance of questions were thrown at them like knives, and inevitably, they confessed they ditched school and were in Panorama City. After hearing that, their parents informed they were on their way and would call the other parents. They hung up the phone of their own kids out of spite. Naddy and Rock stared at the phone for a few minutes in a daze. Both knew they were deep in trouble. Once the DeSantos kids returned to their friends, Brennan appeared to be in even more pain, as he spoke on the phone. They assumed his mom was chewing him out. Both Adrian and Kaylani were on their phones too, presumably, Aunt Tanya was speaking to Adrian and Uncle Adam, the latter. They prepared themselves for their friends to give them an ear full for admitting the truth. The brother-sister duo had plenty of reasons why this had to happen and were willing to take the verbal beating.

Adrian and Lani understood; Brennan wasn't so quick to accept what he felt was treachery.

The five of them sat in awkward silence, after that.

The doors to the hospital opened, and Brennan's sisters were the first to arrive. They immediately headed over to their older brother.

"We got off the phone like ten minutes ago," Sophia's boyfriend pointed out. His little sisters rolled their eyes. "What?!"

"Mom was driving," May announced as a matter of fact. "You know how she gets, while driving with unsettling news."

"Yup. She's mad at you," Kayla obnoxiously sang, while her hands flew to her hips. "What were you thinking?!"

Jason made his way over, shaking his body. Thankfully, he arrived in once piece. "Bren, what were you thinking," Jason angrily asked the question his daughter already said. He went to sit down next to his son. "You ditched school, take the bus, arrive here, and look what's happened! You got hurt, but not only that, our Goddaughter, who is your girlfriend, is now in the hospital with serious injuries!"

Brennan involuntarily flinched, as he saw his mom approaching. He thought jumping off the hospital roof was a better punishment. That would've been quick, clean, and much easier to deal with.

Rock, Nadia, Kaylani, and Adrian cursed once they saw how their Aunt Trini looked.

Trini's eyes flickered yellow at her oldest child, which caused him to size down in his seat. With rage, she remained standing, towering over him, purposefully making him feel uncomfortable. "BRENNAN JASON LEE SCOTT," she yelled, which caused everyone surrounding them to shudder at her tone. "Was it worth it? Was leaving school, the city, really worth all this trouble?! How do you think we would feel if you were in Sophia's place? What would happen if you got more than a cut," she fired a round of questions without letting her son get a word in edgewise. "How do you think your Uncle and Aunt are handling this? I'll tell you right now, not well!"

"I'm sorry," was all Brennan could say. He wanted to curse at Rock and Naddy but couldn't due to his mom staring at him like a hawk.

May and Kayla eventually took their seats, glancing over at the group that was across the room. They privately noted the one in blue and checkered shirts were pretty good looking.

Jason and Trini didn't realize the Samurai rangers plus Ji were in the room, as their undivided attention was on their son.

The authoritative tone of parents caused the rangers' heads to whip up. They were curious as to who the parents of these kids were. Their jaws dropped at seeing the first Red and Yellow ranger of Earth.

Rocky and Aisha barged through the doors. They went to talk to the person behind the information desk, quickly asking questions.

"Mom, dad," Rock yelled, after he realized they were there.

Aisha growled like her animal spirit and headed straight for her children. They could feel the anger that was inside of her. "Are you guys alright," she tranquilly queried first. When she heard and saw they were, she readily laid down the law. "ROCKFORD LUIS DESANTOS JR and NADIA AALIYAH MARIA DESANTOS, I want your cell phones, now!"

Brennan snickered they deserved it, but stopped immediately as soon as his mom and dad glanced at him. Adrian and Kaylani were plotting to make a run for it, to be perfectly honest.

"What," Rock asked in disbelief. His mom expectantly held out her hand, and she stared at him. Her eyes were going from Yellow to brown. "Here," he grumbled.

Naddy did the same without opposing. She faced the floor, since she was filled with shame. "Mom, we're sorry. We really didn't think something like this would happen," she sincerely apologized. Rock nodded in agreement with his sister.

Rocky trailed his wife but coordinating, familiar colors obstructed his view suddenly. His footsteps came to a stop, and his eyes bugged out of his head. "What are you guys doing here?" He saw the most recent power team in the waiting room. He looked around, since one person was missing. "Where's Jayden, and who's this guy, " he pointed at the older man with them. He was caught off guard by their presence.

Jason, Trini, and Aisha's ears perked up. They turned their heads to see where Rocky was. The trio became absolutely mortified, jumping to conclusions this wasn't the greatest predicament for all of them.

The kids peculiarly looked at each other, their parents, and the group of teens that spoke to them earlier, wondering how they all knew one another.

Coming from the opposite end of the emergency waiting room, Adam and Tanya's tunnel vision narrowed on their kids.

"ADRIAN HYUN-KI PARK and KAYLANI YOUNG-SOON PARK," Tanya furiously yelled. Adrian and Kaylani saw their parents approaching with heated steps and tensely braced themselves for their punishment. "Laptop and cell phones, now!" Mrs. Park was thankful for big purses, so she could easily store all these newly acquired electronics.

"Mom," her son whined and reluctantly handed his stuff over.

Adam practically bored eyes into his daughter. "There will be no trips to the mall; you won't be going to Naddy and Sophia's house for a very long time. You go straight to school and back," he firmly ruled.

Kaylani just nodded, and though it pained her, she gave up her phone.

"Where's the others," Mrs. Park asked her husband, while zipping her bag closed. She gazed around to find her best friends with other people. She noticed the other people were Kevin, Mike, Antonio, Mia, Emily and an elder man. "Oh boy," she commented, while pointing her finger at them.

Adam looked to where his wife was pointing to. He cursed. "What now," he lowly asked. "Tommy and Kim are on their way, and what's going to happen when they see _them_ here?"

The Scott and DeSantos family congregated with the Park family.

"Did you guys know about this," Jason interrogated them, praying that his little sister wasn't going to have a nervous breakdown during their time here.

"No. Who's going to tell Falcon and Crane," Rocky opted to speak in code for the meantime.

Trini inconspicuously glanced over her shoulder. "Do you think Sophia knows," she asked the rest of them. "She's smart, not like Billy smart, but she can surely put one plus one together. They picked Panorama City for a place to ditch school for?"

"Exactly, now when we ended up ditching school, it was to different planets and dimensions. Not to another city, a boring city at that," Aisha tossed in there. "Our Dove had to know."

Tanya frustratingly blew out a breath. "If Tommy and Kim are still abiding by what Andros said, then we need to follow what they do," she figured.

Adam concurred. "We don't hint to what he know, got it?"

The parents agreed and sat with their respective children, who were apparently out the loop. There were subtle stares at the team of Samurai rangers though, unsure of what to do.

They, the Samurai rangers, were a little offended. The Original rangers were habitually making eye contact with them, but they weren't saying anything. They each wondered if they had an extra eyeball on their forehead or something.

"Who are these people," Mentor Ji whispered to Emily.

"Mentor," she mildly chided with an expectation for him to be to respectful to the people that just arrived. "They're the _originals._"

"Original what," he asked sharply.

"Power Rangers," she replied. "This must be their children, " she speculated. She rose out of her seat and walked over, trying to reacquaint with them. "We didn't think we'd see you so soon," she happily chirped. The rest of her friends excitedly gathered around them as well.

"Hello," Aisha falsely chimed. "Surprise," she giggled, signaling for her friends to talk.

"Mom, you know her," Rock questioned inquisitively.

"Shush," the Bear pinched her son to silence him. She ignored his shriek of pain.

Mia watched them. Was their presence making them feel uncomfortable, she questioned herself. "I didn't think our next reunion, would be here," she laughed.

"Me neither," Adam nervously second.

Kevin analyzed the situation. "See, it's cool to stay in school," he pointed out to Brennan, Rock, Naddy, Lani and Adrian.

"Um, the Blue isn't so cute now," May contorted her face to show her displeasure.

"What's with the rhyming," Kayla posed the question.

Antonio agreed with Kayla. "Dude, rhyming, really," he sighed with embarrassment.

There was a long pause when no one said a word.

"So, how about them Dodgers," Jason subsequently interjected with the most random thought possible.

"Dad, you hate the Dodgers," Brennan mentioned.

Trini glared once more. "Bren, stay out of adult matters," she fiercely ordered.

"But."

"No buts," she stressed.

"Damn, I'm so glad she's not my mom," Mike quipped.

"Mike," the others reprimanded him loudly.

The Original rangers were definitely meeting them with resistance. Mentor noted so. He understood why, even if the Samurai rangers didn't or hadn't reckoned they were. Andros truly fulfilled his promise. Therefore, he needed to keep up the deceitful rouse that Jayden was a Shiba. He hastily shot out of his seat, praying that no one saw his departure. He needed to get Jayden and the rest of his rangers out of there as soon as possible. He headed to to the Red ranger's room, and then he panicked as soon as he saw the bed was empty. He circled around, wondering where he could've gone. He walked up to the nurse's station.

"Can I help you with something," one of the emergency room nurses inquired. The man in front of her jumpily appeared.

"Yes. Do you know where Jayden Shiba has gone," he breathlessly questioned, while his eyes erratically bounced around. Pretty soon, they stopped behind him at Sophia's room. This was a big guess, but he supposed that's where he was. "Excuse me," he walked away, leaving the nurse he was just talking to minutely flabbergasted.

Mentor barely touched the door before it jarred open. He was able to see Jayden and sporadic movements.

Surprisingly, Sophia was awake.

The attending nurse was still in there. She checked on the occurring transfusion, Sophia's bandages, and then she took her vitals. This was a far cry from when the young woman first entered, causing her to think something unusual occurred or a supernatural force must have taken over. She kept that to herself though." The doctor will be in to further examine you. Get some rest, sweetie," she was about to exit, but Mentor Ji was at the doorway. She gasped as if a ghost jumped out at her. She relaxed though, knowing this was the man that brought her in. "Oh, she's going to be fine," she repeated.

"Thank you for the update," Mentor taughtly smiled, and he allowed her to leave. His incessant gaze fell on each of them. Jayden's blood magically affected her, as that had to be the only logical explanation. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Thank you," she replied hoarsely due to no liquids entering her system for a long period of time. She looked back up at her brother. "Do you know him?"

He handed over the cup of water that was supplied by the nurse. He watched her drink with no problems."He's my guardian," he tersely replied. He left her side to go to Ji's. "Ji, she's telling me I'm her brother," he solely voiced to him. "Explain to her I'm not."

Tommy and Kim's daughter watched the two interact, noting they were close to one another. She also assumed her brother was telling him about her claiming they were related. She needed to make nonbelievers, believers. "Close the door," she commanded. They questioningly gazed at her. She simply nodded they had to. Though, hesitant, they did, as they were told. She took a deep breath before continuing. "My arm is in this sling, right," she lightly jangled the holder that was positioned to above her.

"Yes, your arm is broken," Mentor replied flatly, not seeing where she was going with this.

She glanced at the sling. She blew out a breath. She concentrated, investing all of her energy into doing this. She began to flick her wrist, slowly getting movement back into her dormant arm. She began to wiggle more, and then she fully circulated her right shoulder. She brought her restrained arm up 90 degrees, slipping out of the sling's confines, and finally rested it against her effortlessly.

The two men sharply drew breaths at what she was doing, musing she was potentially damaging her arm further.

"Stop," Jayden cried. Her helplessly watched, as she let her arm revolve around. "Stop," he demanded once more and louder than before. She still wasn't listening. He practically jumped back to her side, heedfully laid his hand on her arm and sternly stared into her eyes. "Stop it. You can hurt yourself!"

"No, I'm fine," she insisted, while looking at him defiantly. "Thanks to you," she acknowledged. Both examined her like she had gone crazy. "Look, your blood entered me and accelerated the healing process. I don't know the full details of how the Ninjetti powers work, but obviously your Phoenix has awoken, or it's been tightly contained due to the powers you have now," she tried to explain to the best of her ability.

"Did, did you say Ninjetti," the Red ranger questioned, since he remembered that from the reunion.

Sophia nodded.

"Jayden, maybe, we should let her rest," Mentor overbearingly interfered this talk with his own reasons. He tugged on the arm of Jayden.

Sophia didn't want them to leave, but she wasn't sure what else to do. She needed to make them see she was telling the truth about her and Jayden being related. She thought of something. "Is my backpack here," she quickly asked.

Ji let go of Jayden's arms, and his eyes traveled and landed on the pink and white item. "The thing you desperately ran out for," he remembered. "What about it?" He was concerned that she was coaxing his prized student into believing her. For the most part, Jayden still wasn't falling for it. He was thankful for that. It might have been heartless to keep Jayden from his real family, but until Lauren came back or Master Xandred was defeated, he needed to fulfill his duty as a Kagemusha.

"Open it, there's a picture in there," she replied in a begging tone. The two debated, still thinking she had gone mad. "Please, I'm very serious about what I'm saying."

"Sophia, whatever is in there can wait. Your friends' parents are here, and I'm pretty sure your parents are on their way as well," Mentor intervened before the Red ranger could speak. He faced Jayden, slightly nodded his head as a way to make him leave.

Uncertainty was written all over Jayden's face, causing Sophia to become very upset with the man that helped her earlier. She was thinking her brother couldn't be his own person with Ji's interference. She defended her older brother."You know the truth, and that's why you're trying to get him to leave," Sophia spat with venom. She dangerously glared her eyes at him and was developing a grudge against Mentor Ji now. She heatedly crossed her arms over her chest in, signaling she wasn't going to give this up.

If looks could kill, Mentor was dead where he stood. He became offended, not believing the audacity of this pubescent female. He attempted to match her with his own heated glare, hoping to quell the abrasiveness that was shooting out of her. Seeing the fire within her eyes wasn't tapering one bit, he was positive he needed to just yank the Red ranger out of the room and make sure both never looked back.

Without warning, the doctor rushed in. "I'm very surprised by you," he relayed, unsuspecting that there was animosity in the room. He smiled at Sophia though. The cool stethoscope pressed against her chest. He listened closely. Next, he grabbed the tool that would check her eyes. The light hit against her eyes, and she blinked twice as a reaction. As he pulled away from her, he noticed her arm was sitting normally. In a curious stupor, he stared for a bit. Then, he continued perusing her body to make sure she was fit. With the burns she had sustained, he was positive her mobility would've been suppressed, but that wasn't the case. He was amazed by her sudden transition from critical to stable. "This is very interesting," he examined her leg. The tenderness she had disappeared as well. He rose back up and began to stroke beneath his chin, as if he was in deep thought. "Miss., can I check your arm?"

"Of course," she eagerly stated, as she easily extended it out for him. She watched his brows furrow and internally laughed inside. Her doctor was proving her point for Jayden and Mentor. She smirked victoriously.

"How can this be," he announced quizzically, as he took off his eyeglasses. "This is physically impossible," he whispered under his breath. It was truly mind-boggling about this girl's improvement. He saw Jayden and Mentor. "Has her parents been contacted?"

"I believe so," Mentor replied, breaking his eye contact with Sophia. "They should be coming in soon."

As soon as the words exited his mouth, Tommy and Kim entered, having left Tristan with the others in the waiting room. They expected her to be alone, but instead they were met by three men—the tending physician, a man they had never met before in their whole life, and their son. The husband and wife glanced at one another worriedly, trying their best to ignore the fact their son was here with his little sister. They went to the opposite side of their daughter and immediately began their own physical. They were emotionally smothering and protectively hovering over her like she was a little girl.

"Mom, dad, stop," their daughter complained, while pushing them away.

"SOPHIA ANABELLE HART-OLIVER, do not start this! Do you hear me," Kim irately censured with fierce eyes. She peered deeply in. "You have a lot of explaining to do, and almost all of privileges you've been entitled to will surely be taken away."

Sophia gulped, seeing her mom's eyes briefly flash to hot pink. When her mom got like this, she knew her own eyes flashing to green wouldn't wouldn't do anything. "I'm sorry," she grumbled into her hospital gown.

Jayden watched quietly. He thought back to the words Sophia told him earlier and how upset she was getting. He wondered, was she really telling the truth?

"Mr. and Mrs. Oliver, I am Dr. Zalinsky. I've been taking care of her, since she arrived. Can I speak to one of you in private," he calmly requested despite the circumstances and smiled in an inviting way. Tommy nodded and offered to go. "Mr. Shiba, Ji, I think you should allow the mother and daughter to speak privately."

Sophia watched her brother nod. He was leaving, and heading towards the door, but she needed to make him stop. If he left, she knew she'd never get this chance again. "NO," she blurted loudly. Her outburst over Jayden's departure caused the doctor's too grow as wide as saucers. Mentor flinched, Tommy and Kim jumped at the request, and Jayden stopped dead in his tracks.

"Soph, listen to what the doctor has to say," Tommy directed in the nicest voice he could muster. He was very upset with his daughter, but his wife was set to hand down the punishment. His wife was chanting it all the way over there. "Let this 'nice man' get back to his room, and we'll see how long you have to stay here."

"He's my brother, isn't he," she seriously, yet knowingly asked her parents. She was tired of the lies, the cover ups, the excuses, and her own brother staring at her like she was a lunatic. Furthermore, she was flustered with Mentor Ji for not admitting or hinting to his own 'son', if he could even be called that, the truth. She expected answers, and she wanted them now.

Dr. Zalinsky felt this was inappropriate. Whatever his patient was talking about, he deemed that to be a private a matter. "Sophia, listen to your parents. It's for your own good. Let, Mr. Shiba leave," he ordered.

Sophia continuously shook his head. "Please, listen to me," she begged with tears gleaming in her eyes. "I'm not making this up. This is the truth. You can't tell me he's not my brother. That _is_ Jayden. He's not a Shiba or whatever people are calling him. He's an Oliver. He's my parent's long lost son," she cried. She broke down and continued tearing up in bed, not understanding why her parents weren't backing her up. They were so cold, as if they didn't want him. "Damn it! He's right here, mom and dad. Right there," she kept flailing his right index finger at him, the person in question, Jayden. "Tell them, tell him, he's your son!"

Tommy and Kim were at a loss for words. They stared at each other, then looked at Sophia, and their eyes floated to the person she was talking about.

"Jayden, we should get going," Mentor whispered, ignoring what was occurring. He hoped to play it off as medicinal effects of powerful painkillers. Something, anything, he didn't want the truth to come out. Not in this way or at the very moment.

For a minute, he stood put. He heard Ji, but the young girl's words were louder and more emotionally fueled. Again, he asked himself, could he really be adopted? Was the life he currently knew, not his destiny? Who was the Shiba family then? Why did the Oliver family abandon him? Those were all valid questions, but the family that's raised him, they wouldn't let him fight, knowing she wasn't apart of their family. At least, he would hope not. He felt horrible for what Sophia was going through, but he simply said what was on his mind.

"I'm sorry, Sophia, but I am not your brother," he softly proclaimed and left with Mentor by his side. He heard her crying, but his purpose was done.

Kim yearningly took a step forward, but then, she faltered and remained with her daughter. She thought she had the courage to announce the truth, but she retracted. There was this undeniable force holding her back, informing her she wasn't ready to do so. She cried with her daughter, who was resisting her touches, but she remained strong. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, thinking the 'Worst Mom Award' was going to her.

Tommy left the room with the doctor, after his son was the first to leave. He looked around for Jayden, wondering where he had gone to. His heart broke due to the conflicting emotions he was dealing with. To tell or not to tell, that was the question. He couldn't come to a conclusion because all he heard was the doctor speaking about his daughter's speedy recovery, how that wasn't possible, and blah, blah, blah. He just wished to get another glimpse of his son. Maybe, this was the time to tell the truth.

"If it wasn't for that young man though, I don't believe your daughter would've made it," the doctor hinted to their possible relation. He observed the man in front of him. He quickly snapped his fingers. "Mr. Oliver."

"Yes," Tommy answered, coming out of his trance. "What was that?"

He sighed. "In all my years of being a doctor, I've never encountered a case like your daughter's. I don't know if it's called a miracle, or what exactly was in that bag of blood, but I suggest someone look into their relationship. Perhaps, she is telling the truth. If that is the case, if that man is her brother, your son, then why haven't you look into?" Tommy was taken aback by the doctor's demanding probes. "Why does this have to be kept into some big secret? I know it's not my place, but did you not hear your daughter? She's practically begging for answers. She's already been through enough!"

"How long will she have to say here," Tommy changed the subject with coldness reverberating in his voice.

"A night or two for observation purposes. She really is a _healthy_ girl," Dr. Zalinsky responded and left in frustration.

The Falcon returned to his wife and daughter's side. He continued to watch his distraught daughter.

"Tommy, we can't keep doing this," the Crane huskily whispered. Her body wracked with defeated sobs. "He needs to know. Why do are we even doing this? Why are keeping the truth from him still?! Look at our daughter, she's miserable. We have to go and tell him!"

"You heard him. He denied he could really be our child. We know the truth, but I doubt we could convince him," Tommy sadly said. "I don't know what it's going to take to make him believe he is our son."

Meanwhile, Jayden finished getting ready. Mentor already left to collect the others. The Red ranger gathered his discharge papers filled with instructions and departed the room. He longingly stared at Sophia's door that was tightly closed shut. He wanted to wish her good luck on finding her real brother, but he didn't want to bring more heartache.

He walked away. If he really was their child, they would've told him, right? As he entered the waiting room, his friends greeted him with bright smiles. Their smiles disappeared, as soon as they saw his melancholic state. They curiously looked at one another. Jayden, then, saw the Original Power Rangers and Sophia's friends. They were staring at him like a deer caught in headlights He pleaded with his blue eyes for one of them to say anything, hint to the truth, since he believed they would know. They didn't though. He shook their head at them, as if he was disappointed.

"Are you alright," his girlfriend curiously asked.

"Yeah, come on," the Red ranger held out his hand for her.

She grabbed it. "Do you wan to-" she couldn't finish because he tugged at her arm, making her abruptly leave with him.

The rest of the rangers were unsure of what happened back there, but with Mentor's stoic appearance and Jayden's coldness, they were sure something did. They quickly said their 'goodbyes' to their predecessors and followed their leader out of the hospital.

Mentor apologized to them too, thinking he made a terrible mistake. He would rectify it soon. Not now because there were too many emotions boiling over.


End file.
